my80hours › States › South Carolina

South Carolina work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid

What the 80-hour rule means in South Carolina, who runs it, and where to send your proof.

🛒 SNAP in South Carolina

Called SNAP, run by South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS).

Adults 18–64 without a child under 14 at home need 80 hours a month of work, volunteering or training, or an exemption, to keep SNAP past 3 months in 3 years.

🩺 Medicaid in South Carolina

South Carolina has not expanded Medicaid, so the new federal Medicaid work rule mostly doesn’t apply here.

Run by South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS).

📌 Non-expansion state; no Medicaid expansion work requirement. 'Palmetto Pathways to Independence' 1115 waiver (limited coverage for some parents conditioned on 80 hrs/month) submitted 2025-06-23, still pending with CMS. SNAP: no ABAWD time-limit waiver in effect as of 2026-10-01 per USDA FNS; time limit applies statewide.

Where to report and upload proof

SCDSS Benefits Portal: report changes and upload documents
SNAP work rules (official)
Healthy Connections Medicaid (official)

Always follow the deadlines in the letters South Carolina sends you. If you get a notice about work requirements, answer it before the due date, even if you think you’re exempt.

What counts toward 80 hours

Paid work, including gig work like delivery or rideshare
Volunteering or community service (usually with a nonprofit or public agency)
Job training or a work program, including SNAP Employment & Training
For Medicaid: school at least half-time, or monthly income of at least $580

Check if you’re exempt · How to prove volunteer hours

Keep proof of every hour

my80hours is a free app that logs your hours, saves photos of pay stubs and sign-in sheets, gets volunteer letters signed, and makes a PDF for your caseworker. No sign-up. Your info stays on your phone.

Start my free log

State details last checked October 10, 2026.

This page explains federal rules as of October 10, 2026. It is not legal advice and my80hours is not a government site. Your state sets many details, so always follow the notices your state sends you, and ask your caseworker or a legal aid office if you’re unsure.

Sources