FNS Documents & Resources

By law, certain adults without dependents can only receive SNAP benefits beyond three months in a three-year period unless they meet specific work requirements. We refer to this as the “time limit.”

FNS is committed to supporting states in their efforts to swiftly and effectively improve payment accuracy. The agency has already taken many actions to help states tackle payment errors at their root cause.

In December 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a final rule entitled “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents”. This action supports the Agency’s commitment to promoting employment by applying a common-sense policy to SNAP’s work-related program standards for able bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs).

In December 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a proposed rule entitled “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents”. This action supports the Agency’s commitment to self-sufficiency by more broadly applying SNAP’s work-related program standards for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs).