If you receive SNAP and care for a child in your household, a significant rule change took effect in November 2025. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), the caregiver exemption from SNAP's Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) work requirements was narrowed. Before the OBBB, any adult caring for a dependent child under age 18 was exempt from ABAWD work requirements. Under the new rule, that exemption only applies if the child in the household is under age 14.
This means that parents and caregivers of teenagers ages 14 to 17 are no longer automatically exempt. They now face the same 80-hour monthly work requirement as other ABAWD-classified adults, and they can only receive SNAP for three months in a 36-month period unless they meet that requirement or qualify for a different exemption.
Use the Benefits Navigator screener to check your current eligibility and whether you are affected by this change.
What the Caregiver Exemption Was Before OBBB
Under the SNAP rules that applied before July 4, 2025, an adult caring for a dependent child under age 18 was not classified as an ABAWD. This meant:
- No work requirement applied based on ABAWD rules
- No three-month time limit applied
- The adult could receive SNAP for an unlimited period as long as they met income and other eligibility requirements
The under-18 standard reflected the reality that parenting teenagers is a full-time responsibility and that many single parents of older children face barriers to consistent employment.
What Changed Under OBBB
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025 and effective November 1, 2025, narrowed the caregiver exemption as follows:
| Rule | Before OBBB | After OBBB |
|---|
| Caregiver exemption applies when child is... | Under age 18 | Under age 14 |
| Household with 14-year-old qualifies for caregiver exemption? | Yes | No |
| Household with 13-year-old qualifies? | Yes | Yes |
| Parent of 17-year-old subject to work requirement? | No | Yes (unless other exemption applies) |
The practical effect: a single parent of a 14, 15, 16, or 17-year-old who was previously not required to work must now either work at least 80 hours per month or lose SNAP benefits after three months.
Who Is Affected
Households most directly affected by this change include:
Single parents of teenagers. A single mother of a 15-year-old who previously relied on the caregiver exemption now must meet the ABAWD work requirement. Even if she is the sole caregiver for her teen and has limited work history, she no longer qualifies for the caregiver exemption under federal rules.
Two-parent households where both parents are present. If neither parent qualifies for another exemption and the youngest child is 14 or older, both parents may face ABAWD time limits unless they meet the work requirement.
Caregivers who are not the biological parent. An aunt, grandparent, or adult sibling who takes in a teenager and receives SNAP as part of that household may also lose the caregiver exemption if the teenager is 14 or older.
Households where the 18th birthday changed things. If an adult had been exempt due to caring for a child approaching 18, that exemption would have eventually ended regardless. But the OBBB moved that cutoff down to the 14th birthday, accelerating when the work requirement kicks in by up to four years.
What the 80-Hour Work Requirement Means
If you lose the caregiver exemption because your youngest child has turned 14, you are now classified as an ABAWD (assuming you do not have another qualifying exemption). To maintain SNAP benefits beyond three months in any 36-month period, you must:
- Work at least 80 hours per month (about 20 hours per week)
- Participate in a job training or vocational education program for at least 80 hours per month
- Perform community service for at least 80 hours per month
- Participate in a SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) program
- Combine work and qualifying program activities to reach 80 total hours
Part-time jobs count. Self-employment counts. Hours from different qualifying activities can be combined in the same month.
Exemptions That Still Apply
Losing the caregiver exemption does not automatically mean losing SNAP. You may qualify for a different ABAWD exemption:
| Exemption | Who Qualifies |
|---|
| Caregiver of child under 14 | Parent or guardian living with a child age 13 or younger |
| Medically disabled | Documented physical or mental condition that prevents work |
| Pregnant | During pregnancy |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | New exemption added by OBBB |
| Already meets work requirement | Working, training, or serving 80+ hours per month |
| Enrolled in approved E&T program | Participating in SNAP Employment and Training |
If you do not qualify for any of these, you face the three-month time limit.
What Happens When the Three-Month Limit Is Reached
Once you have received three months of SNAP benefits as an ABAWD without meeting the work requirement, your benefits end. The three-month limit is counted within a 36-month period, not per year. After three months without meeting the requirement, you lose eligibility for the remainder of that 36-month window.
You can regain SNAP eligibility before the window closes if you:
- Begin meeting the 80-hour work requirement
- Become medically disabled
- Become pregnant
- Have an additional child under 14 join your household
- Gain another qualifying exemption
After the full 36-month period ends, you start a new window and are eligible for another three countable months.
How States Are Responding
States are responsible for implementing the OBBB changes and notifying affected SNAP recipients. Responses vary:
- Some states are sending letters directly to households with children ages 14 to 17 explaining the change and how to avoid losing benefits
- Some states are proactively connecting affected recipients to SNAP E&T programs
- A number of states have been slow to implement the changes due to the administrative burden and are still rolling out notifications through mid-2026
If you have not received any communication from your state SNAP office and you have a teenager in your household, contact them proactively.
Steps to Protect Your SNAP Benefits
Step 1: Confirm the age of the youngest child in your household. If your youngest child is 13 or under, you still qualify for the caregiver exemption and nothing changes for now. If your youngest is 14 or older, you may now be classified as an ABAWD.
Step 2: Contact your state SNAP office. Ask specifically whether you are now classified as an ABAWD. Your case worker should be able to tell you whether the change affects your account.
Step 3: Check other exemption options. If you have a physical or mental health condition that limits your ability to work, talk to your doctor about documentation. A medical exemption requires written certification from a licensed health care provider.
Step 4: Enroll in SNAP E&T. SNAP Employment and Training programs are available in most states and satisfy the work requirement. These programs can include job skills training, adult education, GED programs, and work experience. Ask your SNAP office what E&T programs are available in your county.
Step 5: Start meeting the work requirement. Even part-time work, such as 20 hours per week, satisfies the 80-hour monthly requirement. Community service hours also count. If you can document 80 hours per month of qualifying activities, you can maintain your benefits.
Step 6: Appeal if you believe the determination is wrong. If your state has reclassified you as an ABAWD and you believe you qualify for an exemption, you have the right to request a fair hearing. Make your request in writing.
Impact on Families
Researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands of SNAP households contain adults who previously relied on the caregiver exemption for a child age 14 to 17. Many of these households have low incomes and face real barriers to 80 hours of monthly work: transportation gaps, health issues that do not rise to formal disability level, lack of available jobs, or caregiving responsibilities for other household members.
A parent caring for a 16-year-old who also has a health condition or lives in a rural area with limited employment may find it genuinely difficult to meet the 80-hour requirement even when motivated to do so. The elimination of state waivers means there is no area-level safety valve even in counties with high unemployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child just turned 14. Do I automatically lose SNAP?
Not automatically, and not immediately. You are reclassified as an ABAWD when your youngest child turns 14. After that, you have three months of SNAP benefits you can receive without meeting the work requirement during any 36-month window. Contact your SNAP office when your child turns 14 to understand your options and enroll in E&T if available.
What if I have two children, one who is 12 and one who is 16?
If your youngest child is 12, you still qualify for the caregiver exemption under the new rule. The exemption applies based on the age of the youngest child in the household. You are not affected by the change as long as at least one child in your household is under 14.
Does the exemption apply to grandparents raising grandchildren?
Yes, as long as the grandparent is the primary caregiver and the child is under 14. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and other adults raising children are treated the same as biological parents for purposes of the caregiver exemption.
Can I get the caregiver exemption for a child with a disability who is 14 or older?
Not through the caregiver exemption itself, which is limited to children under 14. However, if the child's disability requires a level of care that prevents you from working 80 hours per month, you may be able to document that as a medical condition affecting you. Talk to your SNAP case worker about your specific situation and whether a medical certification could support an exemption.
Why was the age lowered from 18 to 14?
The OBBB did not include an official explanation in legislative text. The change was part of a broad set of SNAP modifications aimed at reducing federal SNAP spending over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office projected that the narrowed caregiver exemption, combined with other ABAWD changes, would reduce SNAP enrollment significantly.
What if my state had a waiver that exempted me before?
All ABAWD area waivers were automatically terminated on November 2, 2025. Your state can no longer waive the work requirement even in areas with high unemployment. Contact your state SNAP office to confirm your current status.
