Why No South Carolina County Has a Waiver
Before July 2025, states could request an ABAWD time-limit waiver for an area on two grounds: an unemployment rate above 10%, or a demonstrated "lack of a sufficient number of jobs." The second standard was much easier to meet. It included designated labor surplus areas, and South Carolina used it. Advocacy groups tracking the state have noted that at points in the past, roughly half of South Carolina's 46 counties qualified for waiver treatment through the labor surplus route.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025, repealed the "lack of sufficient jobs" basis entirely. The only remaining path to a waiver in the continental United States is a local unemployment rate above 10%. Alaska and Hawaii have separate temporary treatment as noncontiguous states.
South Carolina's labor market is not close to that threshold. The state unemployment rate was 4.6% in May 2026, its third consecutive monthly decline, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. The highest county rate reported in 2026 has been in the mid-7% range in Marlboro County. Even the state's weakest local labor markets sit several points below the 10% line, which means DSS currently has no county it can submit for a waiver.
The practical result: if you live anywhere in South Carolina and you meet the ABAWD definition, the time limit applies to you. There is no county you can move to inside the state that changes that.
All 46 South Carolina Counties: Time-Limit Status
Every county below is subject to the SNAP three-month time limit for ABAWDs in 2026. None hold an active waiver.
| South Carolina Counties | ABAWD Time-Limit Status |
|---|
| Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Berkeley | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
| Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
| Dillon, Dorchester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Florence, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
| Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
| McCormick, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
| Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York | Time limit applies. No waiver. |
Waiver status can change if local unemployment rises above 10% and DSS submits a request that USDA approves. Verify your county's current status with DSS before assuming anything about your case.
Who Counts as an ABAWD in South Carolina
You are treated as an able-bodied adult without dependents if all of the following are true:
- You are between 18 and 64 years old
- You have no child under age 14 in your SNAP household
- You are physically and mentally able to work
- You do not qualify for one of the exemptions listed below
The age ceiling is the biggest change from prior years. It used to stop at 54. Adults 55 through 64 who were automatically exempt in 2024 and most of 2025 are now inside the rule.
The dependent-child rule tightened too. A parent or caretaker used to be exempt if there was a child under 18 in the household. Now the youngest child must be under 14 for that exemption to apply. Households where the youngest child is 14, 15, 16, or 17 lost the automatic exemption.
What Changed Under the OBBBA
| Rule | Before July 2025 | 2026 Rule in South Carolina |
|---|
| Age range | 18 to 54 | 18 to 64 |
| Caretaker exemption | Child under 18 in household | Child under 14 in household |
| Veterans | Fully exempt | Exemption removed |
| People experiencing homelessness | Fully exempt | Exemption removed as a blanket category |
| Foster care youth age 24 and under | Fully exempt | Exemption removed |
| Waiver basis | High unemployment or insufficient jobs | Unemployment above 10% only |
| Required hours | 80 per month | 80 per month (unchanged) |
| Time limit | 3 months per 36 months | 3 months per 36 months (unchanged) |
Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth are not automatically cut off. They lost the blanket category exemption, which means DSS now evaluates them individually against the other exemptions. Many still qualify on medical, disability, or work-barrier grounds. The change is that the exemption is no longer automatic, so the burden shifts to documenting your situation.
Exemptions From the South Carolina SNAP Time Limit
You are not subject to the three-month time limit if any of these apply:
- You are under 18 or 65 or older
- You are pregnant
- You live in a household with a child under 14
- You are physically or mentally unfit for employment, including a temporary condition
- You receive SSI, SSDI, VA disability, workers' compensation, or Medicaid on a disability basis
- You are receiving or have applied for unemployment insurance
- You are caring for an incapacitated person
- You are a member of a federally recognized tribe
- You are enrolled at least half time in a school or training program
- You are participating in a substance use disorder treatment or rehabilitation program
- You are experiencing homelessness combined with documented barriers to work
- You are affected by domestic violence circumstances that limit your ability to work
Exemptions are not applied automatically in every case. DSS knows what is in your file. If you have a medical condition, a new disability claim, a new child in the household, or a training enrollment that DSS does not have on record, it is on you to report it. Call the DSS Connect Call Center at 1-800-616-1309 or report it through your account at benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov.
What Counts Toward the 80 Hours
Any combination of the following adding up to 80 hours in a calendar month satisfies the requirement:
- Paid employment, including part-time, seasonal, gig, and self-employment
- Work in exchange for goods or services rather than wages
- Approved job training or workforce development activity
- Education programs tied to employment
- Community service or volunteer work at an approved organization
Self-employment hours are calculated from net earnings, not just hours you say you worked. If you drive for a delivery app or run a small operation, keep records of both hours and income.
Earnings-based counting also matters. If you earn at least the federal minimum wage, DSS may convert your monthly earnings into hours. Someone earning $10 an hour who works 65 hours would show fewer than 80 hours worked but more than 80 hours of equivalent earnings at minimum wage. Ask DSS how your case is being counted if you are near the line.
SC Works centers across the state can help you find qualifying work, training placements, and volunteer hours. Documentation from a training or volunteer site should include the organization name, contact, and verified hours.
How the Three-Month Clock Works
The time limit is three countable months in any rolling 36-month period. It is not three months per year and it does not reset every January.
A month counts against you only if you received full SNAP benefits that month while subject to the time limit and did not meet the 80-hour requirement. Months when you were exempt do not count. Months when you met the hours do not count. Months when a waiver was in effect in your area do not count.
Once you use all three countable months, SNAP stops until you either:
- Meet the 80-hour requirement for a 30-day period and then reapply, or
- Become exempt through a change in your circumstances, such as a new medical condition, a new child under 14 in the household, or turning 65
South Carolina applies a one-time additional consecutive-month allowance in limited circumstances after you regain and then lose eligibility again. Ask DSS specifically whether you have used it, because the rules on regaining benefits are the part people most often get wrong.
South Carolina SNAP Income Limits for FY 2026
Income eligibility is separate from the ABAWD time limit. You can pass the income test and still lose benefits for missing work hours, and you can be exempt from the time limit and still be denied on income.
South Carolina uses broad-based categorical eligibility to remove the asset test, but it does not raise the gross income limit above the federal 130% of the poverty level. These limits are effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
| Household Size | Gross Monthly Income (130% FPL) | Net Monthly Income (100% FPL) |
|---|
| 1 | $1,696 | $1,305 |
| 2 | $2,292 | $1,763 |
| 3 | $2,888 | $2,221 |
| 4 | $3,483 | $2,680 |
| 5 | $4,079 | $3,138 |
| 6 | $4,675 | $3,596 |
| 7 | $5,271 | $4,055 |
| 8 | $5,867 | $4,513 |
| Each additional person | +$596 | +$459 |
Households with a member age 60 or older, or a member with a qualifying disability, are exempt from the gross income test and only need to pass the net income test. The maximum monthly SNAP benefit for a single-person household is $298 for FY 2026.
For a fuller breakdown of state program rules, see our South Carolina benefits guide.
What to Do If You Get an ABAWD Notice From DSS
Notices from DSS about work requirements have deadlines, and missing them costs you months of benefits.
Step 1: Read the notice for the deadline and the specific month at issue. DSS will state which month is being counted and what it needs from you.
Step 2: Check whether an exemption applies. Go through the exemption list above line by line. A pending disability claim, a documented health condition, an unemployment insurance application, or a child under 14 in the household all change the outcome.
Step 3: Report and document. Submit proof through benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov, at a county DSS office, or by calling 1-800-616-1309. Useful documents include pay stubs, a signed letter from a doctor, a training enrollment letter, a volunteer hours log, or an SSA award or pending claim letter.
Step 4: Request a fair hearing if you disagree. You have the right to appeal a SNAP termination. If you request a hearing before your benefits stop, you can generally ask for benefits to continue while the appeal is pending.
Step 5: Line up hours now if no exemption applies. Eighty hours a month is about 20 hours a week. Volunteer hours count, and approved community service placements are usually easier to start quickly than a new job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Carolina have an ABAWD waiver in 2026?
No. South Carolina has no statewide ABAWD waiver and no county-level or partial-area waiver in 2026. The three-month SNAP time limit applies in all 46 counties.
Which South Carolina counties are exempt from SNAP work requirements?
None. Every county in South Carolina, from Abbeville to York, is subject to the ABAWD time limit. Under current federal law, a county needs an unemployment rate above 10% to qualify for a waiver, and no South Carolina county is near that level. The state rate was 4.6% in May 2026.
When did the new SNAP work rules start in South Carolina?
DSS applied the expanded federal work rules starting February 2, 2026, following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025.
I am 58 years old. Do the work requirements apply to me now?
Yes, unless you qualify for another exemption. The ABAWD age ceiling rose from 54 to 64. Adults 55 through 64 who were previously exempt by age are now subject to the 80-hour rule.
I am a veteran. Am I still exempt in South Carolina?
The blanket veteran exemption was repealed. You may still be exempt on other grounds, including VA disability compensation, a service-connected condition that makes you unfit for work, or another category on the exemption list. Report your status to DSS rather than assuming your file already reflects it.
How many hours do I need to work to keep SNAP in South Carolina?
Eighty hours per month, which averages about 20 hours per week. Work, approved training, education, and community service all count, and you can combine them.
What happens after my three months run out?
Your SNAP case closes. You can regain benefits by completing 80 hours of qualifying activity over a 30-day period and reapplying, or by becoming exempt. The three countable months apply across a rolling 36-month period, not a calendar year.
Can I get a waiver just for my household?
Not a geographic waiver, no. Geographic waivers cover an entire area and are requested by the state. What is available to an individual is an exemption based on your circumstances, or one of the limited discretionary exemption slots DSS holds. The OBBBA cut the pool of discretionary exemptions states receive, so those slots are scarce.
Does living in a rural county like Allendale or Marlboro change anything?
No. Rural counties with weaker labor markets still fall short of the 10% unemployment threshold a waiver requires. Marlboro County has posted the highest rate in the state in 2026 at roughly 7.5%, which is not enough to qualify.
Who do I call about my SNAP work requirement in South Carolina?
The DSS Connect Call Center at 1-800-616-1309. You can also manage your case and upload documents at benefitsportal.dss.sc.gov.
Sources and Verification
Figures in this guide come from the South Carolina Department of Social Services announcements on the February 2026 work requirement changes, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce May 2026 employment report, USDA Food and Nutrition Service SNAP fiscal year 2026 cost-of-living adjustment tables, and the text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Waiver status can change quarterly. Confirm your county's current status with DSS before making decisions about your case.
