CalFresh Time Verifications Exemptions & Work Activities

California’s statewide waiver of the time limit rule has ended:

Some CalFresh applicants and recipients aged 18 through 64 who do not live with a child under 14 may be limited to getting CalFresh for 3 months within a 3 year period.

The 36 month period started January 2026 and will run through December 2028; it then resets and starts over. This is called the“Time Limit” rule.

The rule does not apply to many people: 

ALL counties will start applying the time limit rules effective June 1, 2026 – except Alpine, Colusa, Imperial, Merced, Monterey, Plumas, and Tulare counties. Those counties got a waiver for high unemployment that runs through October 2026.

Adults subject to the time limit are only eligible for benefits for three full months out of a 36-month period
unless they are:
• Exempt (excused) from the rule, or
• Do the required number of hours in work or community service, education or training activities. Unless a person is working off their CalFresh allotment (“Workfare”), the required hours of participation is 20 hours/week or an average of 80 hours/month.

Click the attachment below for additional information about what proof, if any, is needed to demonstrate exemption.