If you are an adult without dependents, SNAP limits how long you can get benefits unless you meet a work requirement – and the 2025 law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) expanded who that rule covers. Here is the current three-month time limit, the 80-hour rule, what changed, and the exemptions that still apply.
Quick answer
Adults aged 18-64 who can work and have no dependents (often called ABAWDs, and now referred to by the agency as “time-limited participants”) can get only 3 months of SNAP in any 36-month period unless they meet a work requirement – generally at least 80 hours a month of work, a work program, or workfare. Under OBBBA, signed July 4, 2025, the top age subject to this rule rose from 54 to 64, effective on enactment, and several exemptions (veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who aged out of foster care) were removed. Waivers for high-unemployment areas and state timing still vary.
Key takeaways
- The ABAWD time limit is 3 months of SNAP in 36 months unless you meet the work requirement.
- The work requirement is at least 80 hours a month of work, a qualifying work/training program, or workfare.
- OBBBA raised the top age from 54 to 64 (now ages 18-64), effective July 4, 2025.
- OBBBA removed the exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth, and narrowed the child exemption to a child under 14.
- OBBBA added exemptions for Indians, Urban Indians, and California Indians.
- Adults 60-64 are now subject to the time limit even though they are exempt from the separate “general” work requirements.
Two different SNAP work rules
SNAP actually has two sets of work rules, and it is easy to mix them up. The general work requirements apply to most people aged 16-59 who can work (register for work, do not quit a job without good cause, and so on). Separately, the ABAWD time limit applies to able-bodied adults without dependents and caps how long they can receive benefits without meeting the 80-hour requirement. This article is about the ABAWD time limit, which is where the 2025 law made the biggest changes.
The time limit and the 80-hour rule
If the ABAWD rule applies to you, you can receive SNAP for only 3 months in a 36-month period unless, in a given month, you do one of the following:
- Work at least 80 hours (paid, in-kind, or as a volunteer);
- Participate in a work or training program for at least 80 hours (such as SNAP Employment and Training);
- Combine work and program hours to reach 80 hours; or
- Take part in workfare for your assigned number of hours.
If you use up your three months and are not meeting the requirement or exempt, benefits end until you either meet the requirement for a 30-day period, qualify for an exemption, or your 36-month clock resets.
What changed under the 2025 law (OBBBA)
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) was signed on July 4, 2025. According to USDA implementation guidance issued to state agencies, its SNAP work-rule changes were effective upon enactment. The main changes:
- Higher age. The top age subject to the time limit rose from 54 to 64. Adults aged 18-64 are now covered unless they meet an exemption.
- Narrower child exemption. The exemption for a parent or household member caring for a dependent child now applies only to a child under 14 (previously under 18). Adults living with children aged 14-17 are now subject to the time limit unless otherwise exempt.
- Removed exemptions. The temporary exemptions added by the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act – for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults aged out of foster care (24 or younger) – were eliminated.
- New exemptions. OBBBA added exemptions for Indians, Urban Indians, and California Indians (as defined in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act).
- Ages 60-64. These adults are now subject to the time limit even though they remain exempt from the general work requirements; states cannot force them into mandatory Employment and Training, but they must still meet the 80-hour requirement or an exemption to keep benefits past three months.
Note: as of mid-2026, USDA’s consumer-facing work-requirements webpage still displayed the older age range (18-54) and the old exemption list while guidance was being updated. The changes above come from USDA’s official implementation memoranda, which reflect the current law.
Who is still exempt from the time limit
Even under the new rules, you are not subject to the ABAWD time limit if you are, for example:
- Physically or mentally unfit for work (including many people receiving disability benefits such as SSDI or SSI);
- Pregnant;
- Living with and responsible for a child under 14 in your SNAP household;
- Already exempt from the general work requirements (for example, caring for an incapacitated person, or working 30+ hours a week); or
- An Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian.
Because exemptions and their proof requirements can be technical, tell your caseworker about anything that might exempt you and ask them to screen you.
FY2026 SNAP amounts and limits
These federal figures took effect October 1, 2025 for the 48 contiguous states and D.C. (Alaska, Hawaii, and the territories differ).
| Item (48 states & D.C., FY2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Maximum monthly allotment, 1-person household | $298 |
| Maximum monthly allotment, 4-person household | $994 |
| Minimum monthly allotment (1-2 people) | $24 |
| Standard deduction (household of 1-3) | $209 |
| Gross income limit, 1-person (130% of poverty) | $1,696 / month |
| Gross income limit, 4-person (130% of poverty) | $3,483 / month |
| Asset limit (most households) | $3,000 |
| Asset limit (household with a member 60+ or disabled) | $4,500 |
Waivers and state variation
States can still request waivers of the time limit for areas with high unemployment. Under OBBBA, a waiver generally requires an area unemployment rate over 10% (or, in Alaska and Hawaii, at or above 1.5 times the national rate). Waived areas change over time, and states implement the new rules on their own schedules, so your county’s status can differ from a neighbor’s. Alaska and Hawaii also have temporary “good faith” exemptions that expire December 31, 2028. Always check with your state SNAP agency for current local rules.
What to do
- Ask your state SNAP agency whether the time limit currently applies where you live, or whether your area is waived.
- Ask to be screened for exemptions – especially if you have a disability, are pregnant, care for a young child, or are an Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian.
- If the rule applies, track your 80 hours a month and keep documentation (pay stubs, program attendance, volunteer logs).
- Ask about SNAP Employment and Training, which can count toward the requirement and help you find work.
Official sources
- USDA FNS – SNAP Work Requirements
- USDA FNS – One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (SNAP provisions)
- USDA FNS – SNAP FY2026 COLA Adjustments
Next steps
- Contact your state SNAP agency to confirm your status, the time-limit clock, and any waiver in your area.
- Gather proof of work, program, or volunteer hours each month if the rule applies to you.
- If your situation changed (new disability, pregnancy, a child under 14), report it and ask to be re-screened for an exemption.
Related guides
- SNAP Work Requirements Explained
- SNAP 2026 Work Requirements & Income Limits
- SNAP 2026 Guide
- SNAP for Seniors 2026
Frequently asked questions
Does the 3-month SNAP time limit apply to me?
It applies if you are aged 18-64, able to work, and have no dependents, and you do not meet an exemption. In that case you can get only 3 months of SNAP in any 36-month period unless you meet the work requirement – generally at least 80 hours a month of work, a work/training program, or workfare.
I am 60 – am I subject to the time limit now?
Under OBBBA, adults aged 60-64 are now subject to the time limit, even though they are exempt from the separate general work requirements and cannot be forced into mandatory Employment and Training. You can keep benefits past three months by meeting the 80-hour requirement (work or volunteering counts) or by qualifying for another exemption.
I am a veteran, homeless, or aged out of foster care – am I still exempt?
Those specific exemptions were removed by OBBBA effective July 4, 2025, so you are now subject to the time limit unless you meet another exemption (for example, being unfit for work, pregnant, or caring for a child under 14). Some consumer webpages had not been updated to reflect this, so confirm your status with your state SNAP agency.
What counts toward the 80 hours a month?
Paid work, unpaid or volunteer work, participation in a qualifying work or training program such as SNAP Employment and Training, or a combination of these. Workfare also counts, based on hours assigned to you. Keep documentation such as pay stubs, attendance records, or volunteer logs.
Can my area be exempt from the time limit through a waiver?
Yes. States can waive the time limit for areas with high unemployment – generally over 10% (or, in Alaska and Hawaii, at or above 1.5 times the national rate). Waived areas change over time, so ask your state SNAP agency whether your county is currently waived.
Last verified against official sources on September 1, 2026. This is general information, not personalized advice, and has not been independently reviewed by an outside subject-matter expert. Confirm current details with the agency before acting.