Maryland SNAP Renewals Can Bring Work Rules for Adults 55 to 64

Some Maryland SNAP recipients ages 55 through 64 face work-reporting requirements when they renew benefits, even if their age previously exempted them. The state says caseworkers will screen recipients for exceptions as the expanded rules reach their cases.

The federal law signed July 4, 2025, changed who falls under SNAP’s time-limit work rules. Maryland’s Department of Human Services says the covered age range expanded from 18-54 to 18-64, adding older adults who previously did not have to satisfy those requirements.

Maryland applied the updated rules to new applicants beginning November 1, 2025. For people already receiving SNAP before that date, the state says the change applies at their next recertification. The renewal interview is therefore an important point for checking both work reporting and exceptions.

Work hours are only part of the review

The state’s guidance says people subject to the rules generally need 80 qualifying hours a month. It lists work, volunteering and participation in job-search or job-training programs, including SNAP Employment and Training, as ways to meet the requirement.

A recipient should ask the caseworker which activities count in their circumstances and what documentation is needed. Maryland says the application and renewal process includes screening for exceptions; being within the expanded age range does not by itself determine every person’s obligation.

Exceptions listed by the state include disability benefits, physical or mental inability to work, participation in alcohol or drug treatment, and caring for a dependent child under 14. People receiving Temporary Cash Assistance or receiving or applying for unemployment insurance may also qualify for an exception.

Other changes affect people beyond the newly covered age group. Veteran status, homelessness and former-foster-youth status no longer automatically provide the exemptions they previously did. A person in one of those groups may still qualify under another exception, which is why the individual review matters.

Where Maryland recipients can get help

The Department of Human Services directs recipients with questions to their local department of social services or its customer-service line, 1-800-332-6347. Applications and renewals can also be handled through MarylandBenefits.gov.

For help finding qualifying activities, the state links to a job-training search tool and its SNAP Employment and Training partner network. The listed programs include skills training and help with barriers such as transportation, depending on the provider.

Someone facing an immediate food shortage can also use the food-assistance resources linked from Maryland’s benefits-change page, including the Maryland Food Bank and Capital Area Food Bank. Those resources provide a separate route to assistance while a benefits question is being addressed.

The next step for an affected recipient is to check the renewal notice and discuss exceptions and reporting with the caseworker before the review is completed.

References: What the New Federal H.R. 1 Law Means for SNAP in Maryland | Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) | H. R. 1 SNAP Work Requirements FAQ | Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training