SNAP Waived Areas: Every Approved Waiver

No state has a statewide waiver. As of USDA’s October 1, 2026 list, only parts of 12 states are waived from the SNAP 3-month time limit. Here is every approved area, its dates and why it qualified.

Updated October 31, 2026 · Based on official sources listed below · How we research · Leer en español

Statewide waivers

States with waived areas (Oct. 1, 2026)

106

Counties, cities and tribal areas

10%

Unemployment needed to qualify

How an area qualifies after H.R. 1

Section 10102 of H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21) narrowed waivers of the time limit for adults 18 to 64 without children under 14. USDA can now waive an area only if:

its unemployment rate is over 10%, or
it is in Alaska or Hawaii and its unemployment rate is at least 1.5 times the national rate.

The old option to waive areas that “lack sufficient jobs”, including the common test of unemployment 20% above the national average, is gone. USDA’s October 3, 2025 memo says states can show the 10% rate with a recent 12-month average, a recent 3-month average, or a historical seasonal rate, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data where it exists. USDA will not approve a waiver for more than 12 months, and it “strongly encourages” states not to ask for waivers at all.

H.R. 1 also gave Alaska and Hawaii a separate, temporary “good faith” exemption while they get ready to run the time limit. It must end by December 31, 2028. Alaska used one outside Anchorage through October 31, 2026.

Every approved waiver

From USDA’s approval letters, checked October 31, 2026. Unemployment rates and full area lists are on each state page.

State	Areas covered	Dates	Basis	Status
Alaska	Bethel Census Area; Bristol Bay Borough; Chugach Census Area; Copper River Census Area; Denali Borough; and 15 more	Nov 1, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026	1.5x national rate (Alaska rule)	Ends Oct 31, 2026
Arizona	Yuma County; Cocopah Reservation; Hualapai Indian Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Salt River Reservation; and 2 more	Mar 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Feb 28, 2027
California	Colusa County; Imperial County; Kings County; Merced County; Monterey County; and 2 more	Nov 1, 2026 to Oct 31, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	Starts Nov 1, 2026
Kentucky	Elliott County; Lewis County; Magoffin County; Martin County; Wolfe County	Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Nov 30, 2026
Michigan	Alcona County; Alger County; Arenac County; Cheboygan County; Iosco County; and 24 more	Nov 1, 2025 to Oct 31, 2026	Unemployment over 10%	Ends Oct 31, 2026
Minnesota	Clearwater County; Fond du Lac Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Grand Portage Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Mille Lacs Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Red Lake Reservation	Dec 1, 2025 to Nov 30, 2026	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Nov 30, 2026
Nevada	Mineral County; Battle Mountain Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Campbell Ranch; Dresslerville Colony; Elko Colony; and 8 more	Feb 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Jan 31, 2027
New Jersey	Camden City; Cape May County	Feb 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Jan 31, 2027
New Mexico	Luna County; Laguna Pueblo Reservation; San Felipe Reservation; Taos Pueblo and Off-Reservation; Tesuque Pueblo and Off-Reservation	Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Dec 31, 2026
New York	Tuscarora Nation Reservation; Poospatuck (state) Reservation	Mar 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Feb 28, 2027
Oregon	Burns Paiute Indian Colony and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Coquille Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Cow Creek Reservation; Klamath Reservation; Siletz Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land	Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Dec 31, 2026
Wisconsin	Forest County Potawatomi Community and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Ho-Chunk Nation Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Lac du Flambeau Reservation; Red Cliff Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; St. Croix Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land; Sokaogon Chippewa Community and Off-Reservation Trust Land	Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027	Unemployment over 10%	In effect to Sep 30, 2027

California’s row shows the waiver that starts November 1, 2026. Its 2025-2026 list, which ends October 31, 2026, also included Alpine County but not Kings County.

Waivers ending soon

Oct 31, 2026: Alaska (20 areas). No renewal posted as of October 31, 2026
Oct 31, 2026: Michigan (29 areas). No renewal posted as of October 31, 2026
Nov 30, 2026: Kentucky (5 areas)
Nov 30, 2026: Minnesota (5 areas)
Dec 31, 2026: New Mexico (5 areas)
Dec 31, 2026: Oregon (5 areas)
Jan 31, 2027: Nevada (13 areas)
Jan 31, 2027: New Jersey (2 areas)
Feb 28, 2027: Arizona (7 areas)
Feb 28, 2027: New York (2 areas)

When a waiver ends, the time limit can apply in that area from the next month. Months spent in the waived area never count against you. As of October 31, 2026, the only federal fiscal year 2027 waiver requests USDA had posted were from California and Wisconsin, and both were approved.

Recently ended waivers

Montana: Six reservation areas (Blackfeet, Crow, Fort Belknap, Fort Peck, Northern Cheyenne, Rocky Boy’s), July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Approved under the old “20% above the national rate” test.
North Dakota: Rolette County and the Turtle Mountain Reservation, approved for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 under the old “20% above the national rate” test. USDA’s March 1, 2026 list still showed North Dakota with a waiver; its October 1, 2026 list does not.
Wisconsin: the 2025-2026 waiver for three tribal areas ended September 30, 2026 and was replaced by a six-area waiver.

States with no waiver

USDA lists no waiver anywhere in these 41 states and territories as of October 1, 2026. The time limit can apply in every county:

Some states exempt people in certain counties for other reasons, such as Oregon’s counties with no WorkSource center or Texas counties with no SNAP job program. Those are state exemptions, not USDA waivers, and are explained on each state page.

What a waiver does and does not do

It stops the 3-month time limit for adults 18 to 64 who live in the waived area.
It does not waive the general SNAP work rules for ages 16 to 59: registering for work, taking a suitable job, not quitting, and joining a job program if referred.
It follows where you live. Moving out of a waived area means the time limit can apply from your next full month.
Your state keeps tracking your 36-month period during the waiver, so the limit can restart when the waiver ends.

Check if the time limit applies to you Find your state

Frequently asked questions

Is my county waived from SNAP work requirements?

Only if it is on USDA’s approved list. As of October 2026 that is parts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Wisconsin. No state has a statewide waiver, so most counties are not waived.

Why are so few areas waived now?

H.R. 1 removed the “not enough jobs” test. An area now needs unemployment over 10% (or, in Alaska and Hawaii, at least 1.5 times the national rate). Very few counties are that high.

How long does a SNAP waiver last?

Usually 12 months. USDA said it will not approve a waiver longer than that, and states can end one early.

Does a waiver mean I do not have to work at all?

No. It only stops the 3-month time limit. If you are 16 to 59, the general work rules still apply, such as registering for work and not quitting a job without good cause.

Are tribal reservations waived?

Some are. Tribal areas in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Wisconsin are on approved waivers. Separately, H.R. 1 made American Indian and Alaska Native people exempt from the time limit wherever they live.