Virginia SNAP Work Requirements and Who Is Exempt

Virginia’s SNAP work requirements apply in two layers: a general work-registration rule for recipients ages 16 through 59, and a stricter three-month time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). Recent federal legislation expanded the ABAWD group to include adults up to age 64 and dropped the protective dependent-child age from 18 to 14, pulling many more Virginians into the stricter tier. Knowing which tier applies to you — and which exemptions you may qualify for — determines whether your benefits continue.

The General Work Rules for Ages 16 Through 59

If you are between 16 and 59, physically and mentally able to work, and not otherwise exempt, you must comply with general work registration. Registration happens automatically when you submit your SNAP application.¹ From then on, you have to accept any suitable job offered to you. A job is generally considered suitable if it pays at least the federal minimum wage and does not involve unreasonable health or safety risks.

You also cannot voluntarily quit a job or cut your hours below 30 per week without good cause.¹ Good cause means something genuinely beyond your control: losing transportation, a medical emergency, unsafe conditions, or discrimination. Quitting because the schedule was inconvenient or the work was unpleasant will not qualify. When a voluntary quit is found to lack good cause, the penalty falls on the individual who quit, and in some cases can reduce the entire household’s benefits.

The ABAWD Three-Month Time Limit

Able-bodied adults without dependents face a tighter rule layered on top of the general requirements. Under recent federal legislation, this group now includes anyone ages 18 through 64 who does not have a dependent child under 14 in their SNAP household and is physically and mentally capable of working. The age ceiling used to be 54, and the dependent-child threshold used to be 18, so the new definition sweeps in many more adults.

If you fall into this group, you can receive SNAP for only three months in any 36-month period unless you work or participate in a qualifying activity for at least 80 hours per month.¹ Those 80 hours can come from paid employment, an approved training program, community service, or any combination. Virginia’s SNAP Employment and Training program counts.

The clock is unforgiving. Any month you receive benefits without hitting the 80-hour threshold burns one of your three months, and the months do not have to be consecutive. Once you have used all three, you lose eligibility for the rest of the 36-month window. As of early 2026, no areas in Virginia have an active waiver from the ABAWD time limit, so the rule is enforced statewide.

Getting Benefits Back After You Hit the Limit

If you have used your three months, there are two paths back. Meet the 80-hour work or activity requirement during a single 30-day period and your eligibility restarts.¹ Otherwise, wait for your 36-month tracking period to end, at which point you receive a fresh three-month allotment. Qualifying for an exemption at any point also removes you from the time limit entirely.

Who Is Exempt

Not everyone has to meet these rules. Virginia follows the federal exemption framework, and the lists differ depending on whether you are looking at the general requirements or the ABAWD time limit. Check both if you are between 18 and 64.

Exemptions From the General Work Requirements

You are excused from the general requirements if you are:¹

Already working 30 or more hours per week, or earning the equivalent of 30 hours at the federal minimum wage
Physically or mentally unable to work, which may require medical documentation
Caring for a child under six or an incapacitated household member
Enrolled at least half-time in a recognized school or training program (college students face separate rules, covered below)
Participating regularly in an alcohol or drug treatment program
Meeting work requirements for another program such as TANF or unemployment compensation

Additional Exemptions From the ABAWD Time Limit

Beyond the general list, extra protections shield certain adults from the three-month limit specifically. You are excused from the ABAWD rule if you are:¹

Pregnant
Experiencing homelessness
A veteran
Age 24 or younger and in foster care on your 18th birthday
Already excused from the general work requirements for any reason above

Exemptions are reviewed at your initial application and again at every recertification. If your circumstances change in between, report the change to your local department of social services promptly so your file reflects the right status.

Special Rules for College Students

Students enrolled at least half-time face an extra eligibility hurdle. On top of income and work requirements, you must meet at least one student-specific exemption or you are ineligible for SNAP no matter how low your income is.² The most common way to qualify is working at least 20 hours per week in paid employment. Federal or state work-study participation also counts.

Self-employed students must work at least 20 hours weekly and earn at least the federal minimum wage multiplied by those 20 hours. Students caring for a child under six qualify automatically. If your child is between 6 and 11 and you lack adequate child care to attend school and work 20 hours, that qualifies too. Single parents enrolled full-time and caring for a child under 12 are another exempt category.² The temporary student exemptions created during the COVID-19 emergency expired in July 2023.

Using SNAP E&T to Meet Your Hours

Virginia operates a SNAP Employment and Training program that helps recipients build job skills and find work. Services include job coaching, resume development, career planning workshops, digital literacy classes, and vocational training. Participants may also receive supportive services such as help with transportation or work-related expenses.

Hours in E&T count toward both the general work registration requirement and the ABAWD 80-hour threshold, which makes it a practical option if you are not yet employed but need to keep your benefits. Enrollment is handled through your local department of social services office. If your caseworker determines you are subject to work requirements, they should give you information about available E&T activities in your area.³

Documenting Your Hours

Keeping your benefits depends on documenting work hours consistently. You will need tangible proof: pay stubs, signed employer statements, or official records from a training site. If you are self-employed, keep detailed ledgers or tax records showing income and hours. Missing a reporting deadline can trigger an automatic benefit termination even when you actually met the hours, so treat the deadlines as firm.

Virginia’s CommonHelp portal at commonhelp.virginia.gov is the primary online system for managing your case, including applications, reporting household changes, and checking status.⁴ You can also mail documents or deliver them in person to your local DSS office. Whichever method you use, submit well before your caseworker’s verification deadline.

Sanctions If You Don’t Comply

Failing to meet work requirements triggers disqualification periods for the noncompliant individual. Federal law sets minimum durations and gives states discretion to go longer within defined ranges:⁵

First violation: at least one month, up to three months at the state’s option
Second violation: at least three months, up to six months at the state’s option
Third or subsequent violation: at least six months, and the state may impose a permanent disqualification

In every case the disqualification lasts until the later of the minimum period or the date you actually come back into compliance.⁶ Waiting out the clock is not enough if you still refuse to cooperate. The state must send a written notice of adverse action before cutting off benefits, explaining the reason and the length of the disqualification. Sanctions apply only to the individual who failed to comply, though losing one person’s share reduces the household’s overall allotment.

Appealing a Work-Requirement Decision

If you disagree with a sanction or any other adverse SNAP decision, you have the right to appeal. Appeals in Virginia are handled by the Appeals and Fair Hearings Unit within the Department of Social Services. Hearing officers are independent reviewers who examine whether your local office followed the rules and reached the correct decision.⁷

One caveat worth knowing: appeals are decided on the facts known when the agency made its decision. If your situation has changed since then, such as a reduction in hours or a new household member, report those changes to your caseworker directly rather than relying on the appeal. Filing promptly matters, because requesting a hearing before your benefits actually stop may allow you to keep receiving them while the appeal is pending. Contact your local office or the Virginia DSS website for the form and filing instructions.

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Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Work Requirements
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Food and Nutrition Service. Students
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Virginia Department of Social Services. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
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Virginia CommonHelp. Welcome to CommonHelp
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 7 USC 2015 – Eligibility Disqualifications
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eCFR. 7 CFR 273.7 – Work Provisions
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Virginia Department of Social Services. Benefits and Service Appeals