How to prove self-employed hours

If you run your own small business, those hours can count as work. You do not need an employer to sign a form. Your state still decides what proof it takes.

This page is not legal advice. Check with your state Medicaid agency. Your state decides who needs to meet the 80-hour rule and what proof it takes.

80 hours tracker

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Your own work counts

CMS says work in exchange for money can count, and so can unpaid work such as an internship. Hours in your own business are paid work. You can also meet the month by earning at least $580 in 2026, which is 80 times the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Seasonal work has a different math. Check your state.

What to keep if you have no boss

People who work for themselves often keep:

Invoices or receipts for the month
Bank deposits that match the work
A simple calendar of days and hours you worked
Photos of those papers, saved in log80

Steps to prove self-employed hours

1
Ask your state
Ask your state Medicaid agency what proof it wants if you work for yourself.
2
Write down each day
Note the date, what you did, and the hours. Keep invoices or deposits.
3
Log the hours
Use the 80 hours tracker. Add a proof photo of an invoice or a deposit.
4
Make the report
Download the monthly report when your state asks for proof.

Sources

We fetched and checked these official pages on 2026-10-19.

More guides

Log80 keeps your proof in one place.

Track your hours and make a monthly report to share with your state Medicaid office. It's free, in your browser or on Android.

Use it in your browser, free

Log80 is not a government service and is not Medicaid. This page is not legal advice. Your state Medicaid office decides who needs to meet the rule and what proof it takes.