The Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) time limit rule is a federal rule that restricts how long some adults can participate in SNAP if they are not working. Under this rule, unemployed, non-disabled adults ages 18 to 64 living in households without a child under age 14 can only receive SNAP benefits for a total of three full months in a 36-month period unless they live in an area with a waiver, meet an exemption, or meet work requirements.
ABAWD rules have been waived in most parts of New York in recent years; however, New York’s waiver of ABAWD time limits will end in November 2025. December 2025 will be the first full month of statewide ABAWD implementation. Timing of impacts for individual households will vary by circumstance. Impacted individuals will receive notices with additional information.
More information will be available on this page, including tools and additional resources to help those working with SNAP recipients impacted by these changes.
Congress passed changes to SNAP ABAWD requirements in July as part of H.R. 1.
These changes:
- Limit waivers that allow states to waive work reporting requirements in areas with insufficient jobs, restricting these waivers to areas with an unemployment rate of over ten percent.
- End exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and youth aging out of foster care.
- Expand ABAWD time limits to new populations, including seniors ages 55 to 64, and parents with children ages 14 and older.
Resources
- Hunger Solutions New York: SNAP Changes Under the Federal Budget Reconciliation Law
- FRAC: The Far-Reaching Harmful Impacts of the Reconciliation Bill—on Families, Older Adults, Immigrants, and State Budgets
- NYS OTDA:
