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58. Food stamp time limits

General authority: 7 U.S.C. § 2017; 7 C.F.R. § 273.10; and MPP § 504.1-.2.

Once the food stamp office decides that a household qualifies for food stamps, the program will “certify” (i’ve, approve) the household for a certain number of months. [7 CFREPORT § 273.10(of);MPP § 63-504.1.]  The length of time for which the household is approved to get food stamps is called a “certification period.” Certification periods can be as short as one month [7 CFREPORT § 273.10(of)(3)(iii);MPP § 63-504.141(a).],  or as long as one year. [7 CFREPORT § 273.10(f)(5); MPP § 63-504.1.]  If everyone in the household is “elderly” or “disabled”, it can be certified for as long as two years. [7 C.F.R. § 273.10(f)(1); MPP § 63-504.142.]

The food stamp office must certify the household for at least three months unless there is a good chance that its income may change within the next month or two. [7 C.F.R. § 273.10(f)(3)(ii); MPP § 63-504.111(a).]  If the household’s income stays the same each month, and it does not expect any changes in who lives in the household or any major changes in its resources, then the food stamp office should give the household the longest certification period it can. [7 C.F.R. § 273.10(f)(3); MPP § 63-504.1.]

During the certification period, the food stamp office can require recipients to meet with quality control reviewers (see the section about coming in for an interview before the certification period is over) or with fraud investigators (see the section about situations when the food stamp office thinks the household has committed fraud). The food stamp office cannot require recipients to meet with one of its fraud investigators. See FNS Memorandum to Program Directors, Food Stamp Program Cooperation with Fraud Investigations (April 24, 2003).

Once the food stamp office has certified the household for a period of time, it usually cannot make the household apply to be recertified until the last two months of that certification period. But the food stamp office can shorten the certification period if someone in the household is cut off public assistance. [7 C.F.R. § 273.10(f)(4); MPP § 63-504.161.]  If it does this, the food stamp office must tell the household at least a month in advance that the certification period is being shortened. [MPP § 63-504.251.]  The household must then given a chance to apply to be recertified.

If someone is an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD) — that is, some between the ages of 18 to 59, not disabled from work, does not have any dependent children and is unemployed — then that person may be limited to three months of food stamps in any give 36-month period. [7 U.S.C. § 2015 (o); 7 C.F.R. § 273.24; MPP § 63-410.]

For related information about ABAWDs, see the sections explaining the work rules that apply to ABAWDs, what are the circumstances for waiver of ABAWD requirements, and in general what are the consequences of non-compliance with a work requirement.