How long a short-term health plan can last depends entirely on where you live. Some states allow a single plan to be renewed toward a three-year total; others cap it at three or four months; and a few don't allow it at all. This guide lays out the limits for every state in our licensed footprint.
Quick answer: Short-term duration limits in 2026 fall into three buckets — states that allow up to a ~36-month total, states that restrict coverage to a short window (often 3–6 months), and states where it's effectively unavailable. The table below shows the initial-term and total-duration limit for each state and the rule behind it.
How to read this table
- Initial term is the longest a single policy can run before it must be renewed or replaced.
- Max total is the longest you can stay covered, counting renewals — the number that matters most.
- Basis is where the limit comes from: a state statute or rule, a Department of Insurance bulletin, or the federal default a state follows.
Short-term duration limits by state (2026)
| State | Status | Initial term | Max total | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Available | ~364 days | ~36 months | No state cap; federal default |
| Arizona | Available | <12 months | 36 months | A.R.S. 20-1384 |
| Arkansas | Available | <12 months | 36 months | Ark. Code 23-79-2002 |
| California | Banned | — | — | Cal. Ins. Code 10123.61 |
| Colorado | Unavailable | 6 months (none sold) | ~12 months (none sold) | C.R.S. 10-16-102(60) + Reg 4-2-59 |
| Florida | Available | <12 months | 36 months | Fla. Stat. 627.6426 (carrier form may vary) |
| Georgia | Available | ~364 days | ~36 months | No state cap; federal default |
| Idaho | Available | <12 months | 6 mo (traditional) / 36 mo (enhanced) | Idaho Code Title 41 Ch. 52 |
| Illinois | Banned | — | — | Public Act 103-0649 |
| Indiana | Available | 364 days | 36 months | Ind. Code 27-4-10-5 |
| Iowa | Available | up to 12 months | 36 months | IAC 191-36 |
| Kansas | Restricted | 6 or 12 months | ~24 months (one renewal) | K.S.A. 40-2,193 |
| Kentucky | Available | <12 months | 36 months | DOI Bulletin 2018-02 |
| Louisiana | Available | ~364 days | ~36 months | No state cap; federal default |
| Maryland | Restricted | <3 months | 3 months (non-renewable) | Md. Ins. Code 15-1301(s) |
| Michigan | Restricted | 185 days | 185 days per 365 (nonrenewable) | MCL 500.2213b |
| Minnesota | Unavailable | 185 days (none sold) | 365 of 555 days (none sold) | Minn. Stat. 62A.65 |
| Mississippi | Available | 12 months | 36 months | No state statute; federal default |
| Missouri | Available | 12 months | No statutory total cap | RSMo 376.1551 (>6 mo triggers mandates) |
| Nebraska | Available | 364 days | 36 months | 2018 DOI Notice |
| Nevada | Restricted | 185 days | 185 days per 365 | NAC 689A.434 |
| New Mexico | Unavailable | 3 months (none sold) | 3 months (none sold) | NMAC 13.10.3 |
| North Carolina | Restricted | 3 months | 4 months | G.S. 58-3-225 (actively enforced) |
| Ohio | Restricted | 364 days | 364 days (one-time, non-renewable) | ODI Bulletin 2018-05 |
| Oklahoma | Available | <12 months | 36 months | 36 O.S. 4419 |
| Oregon | Restricted | 3 months | 3 months (incl. renewals) | ORS 743B.005 |
| Pennsylvania | Restricted | 3 months | 4 months | Federal default (31 Pa. Code) |
| Rhode Island | Unavailable | — | — | R.I. Gen. Laws 27-50-3(t) |
| South Carolina | Available | 11 months | 33 months | DOI Bulletin 2024-13 |
| Tennessee | Available | ~12 months | ~36 months | No state number; federal default |
| Texas | Available | <12 months | 36 months | 28 TAC 3.3602 |
| Utah | Available | <12 months | 36 months | Utah Admin. Code R590-286 |
| Virginia | Restricted | 3 months | 6 months in any 12 | Va. Code 38.2-3407.21 |
| West Virginia | Available | ~364 days | ~36 months | No state cap; federal default |
| Wisconsin | Restricted | 12 months | 18 months aggregate | Wis. Stat. 632.7495 |
| Wyoming | Available | ~364 days | ~36 months | No state cap; federal default |
The federal wrinkle behind the "federal default" states
Several states — Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming — have no duration cap of their own. Their up-to-36-month availability exists only because the 2024 federal rule (a 3-month initial term / 4-month total limit) is currently not being enforced. If federal enforcement resumes, those states could snap back to the shorter federal limits. States with their own statute or rule (like Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Oklahoma) don't carry that risk.
Three things the duration limit doesn't tell you
- Renewability: most short-term plans are not guaranteed renewable, so the "max total" is a ceiling, not a promise.
- Underwriting: in most states these plans are medically underwritten and can exclude pre-existing conditions (Idaho's enhanced plan is a guaranteed-issue exception).
- Coverage: short-term plans are not ACA minimum essential coverage and don't have to cover the essential health benefits.
For the longer-duration states specifically, see which states allow 36-month short-term plans. For the no-market states, see where short-term medical is banned or unavailable.
Get help matching the rule to your situation
Duration limits are only the starting point. As an independent, carrier-neutral brokerage, we can help you compare what's actually available in your state and whether short-term coverage — or an ACA plan — fits your timeline. Free, with no obligation.
This article is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Regulatory details reflect state law and guidance as of the last-updated date and can change; confirm current terms before you enroll. Reviewed by Matthew T. Giberti (NPN 20698856). Last updated: 2026-07.