SNAP in South Dakota
Work requirements in South Dakota
The general work rules, the time limit for adults without dependents, and who is excused.
The rules in South Dakota
Open any question. Each answer shows the rule, what to do, and the source it was read from.
How many hours do I have to work to keep SNAP under the time limit?
80 hours/month
Working for pay or in kind, volunteering, taking part in a work program, or any combination that adds up to 80 hours a month keeps the time limit from counting a month against you.
- Keep proof of your hours: pay stubs, a letter from where you volunteer, or sign-in sheets from a work program.
Source: 7 CFR 273.24(a) (eCFR (Office of the Federal Register)) · Checked November 9, 2026
Does having a child at home excuse me from the time limit?
Yes
A child under 14 in your SNAP household excuses you from the time limit. The age used to be 18. The month your youngest turns 14, the time limit can apply unless another exception does.
- Mark your youngest child's 14th birthday. Plan the 80 hours or another exception before then.
Source: OBBB ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memo (USDA Food and Nutrition Service) · Checked November 9, 2026
Are tribal members excused from the time limit?
Yes
The 2025 law added a time-limit exception for people defined as an Indian, Urban Indian, or California Indian under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
- Tell your office and bring documentation such as a tribal enrollment card or an Indian Health Service eligibility letter.
Source: OBBB ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memo (USDA Food and Nutrition Service) · Checked November 9, 2026
I am a veteran, homeless, or aged out of foster care. Am I still excused from the time limit?
removed
The automatic time-limit exceptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth 24 or younger were removed. Another exception may still apply, such as a condition that limits work.
Source: OBBB ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memo (USDA Food and Nutrition Service) · Checked November 9, 2026
Do I have to meet work rules at 60?
Yes
At 60 or older you are excused from the general work requirements, and your state cannot require you to join an employment and training program.
Source: 7 CFR 273.7(b)(1)(i) (eCFR (Office of the Federal Register)) · Checked November 9, 2026
Who does the three-month time limit apply to?
18 through 64
Adults 18 through 64 without a qualifying exception can get only 3 months of SNAP in a 36-month period unless they meet the 80-hour work rule. Before the 2025 law the limit stopped at 54.
USDA confirmed in June 2026 that people aged 60 to 64 are under the time limit unless another exception applies, even though they are excused from the general work requirements.
- Check every exception that might apply to you before a month is counted against you.
- If none applies, plan how you will meet 80 hours a month: work, volunteering, a work program, or a combination.
Source: 7 CFR 273.24 (eCFR (Office of the Federal Register)); OBBB ABAWD Exceptions Implementation Memo (USDA Food and Nutrition Service); Time Limit Q&A #1, Q1–Q2 (June 11, 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service) · Checked November 9, 2026
Official South Dakota links for this topic
- South Dakota SNAP office (USDA directory) or call 1-800-221-5689
Every rule on this page was read against its primary source, most recently on November 9, 2026. SNAP Resource Center is not a government website. The South Dakota SNAP office makes every decision about your case.