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ABAWD Waivers

Resource type
Technical Assistance & Guidance
Resource Materials

Able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) can receive SNAP for only three months in a 3-year period if they do not meet certain work requirements. This is called the ABAWD time limit.

The Food and Nutrition Act allows states to ask FNS to temporarily waive the ABAWD time limit for areas that have an unemployment rate of over 10 percent or does not have a sufficient number of jobs. An ABAWD time limit waiver does not waive the general SNAP work requirements.

As required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, FNS is providing available ABAWD waiver materials to the public to increase waiver transparency. Documents prior to FY 2013 may only be available in part. This webpage contains ABAWD waiver materials for FY 1997-2024.

This page also includes information on waiver status by state by fiscal quarter.

Page updated: January 12, 2024