EAD Category Codes Explained: C3B, C3C, C9, C26 and What Your Card's Category Means

The short code under Category on your EAD card tells employers, E-Verify and USCIS why you can work. Here is how to read C03B, C03C, C09 and C26.

Part of our guide to the OPT I-765 application.

EAD categories are the short codes printed in the Category field of your work permit, such as C03B, C03C, C09 or C26. Each one names the legal reason USCIS gave you permission to work. C03B is post-completion OPT, C03C is the 24-month STEM OPT extension, C09 is a pending green card (adjustment of status) application, and C26 is the H-4 spouse EAD. They are the same I-765 eligibility categories you pick on the form, written in a different format: (c)(3)(B) on the form prints as C03B on the card.

The code decides which rules govern your job search, whether a pending renewal can carry you past the printed expiry date, and what your employer checks during I-9.

Status as of October 14, 2026

• End of automatic EAD extensions: IN EFFECT. The final rule (RIN 1615-AD05, 91 FR 65306) was published and took effect on 2026-10-14. It adopts without change the interim final rule of 2025-10-30. Renewal EADs filed on or after 2025-10-30 get no automatic extension, and that includes H-4 (c)(26) EADs. The H-4 EAD itself is not rescinded.
• OPT fees NPRM: PROPOSED. Published 2026-10-08; comments close 2026-11-09. It would cover any type of OPT (C03A, C03B and C03C cases). CPT is out of scope. Nothing changes until there is a final rule.
• Duration-of-Status rule: BLOCKED by a federal court on 2026-09-14. DHS has appealed. Because of the order, USCIS accepts the 08/21/25 edition of Form I-765 and does not accept the 09/15/26 edition (USCIS page updated around 2026-10-07).

How to read the category on your EAD card

Form I-766, the physical EAD, prints the category as one letter and a few characters, with no parentheses. The I-765 form and its instructions write the same category in regulation style, because each one points to a paragraph of 8 CFR 274a.12:

Categories that begin with (a) generally document work permission that comes with a status. Categories that begin with (c), like all four here, are ones you must apply for. "c3b", "c03b" and "(c)(3)(b)" all mean the same category.

The four EAD category codes international candidates ask about most

C03B: post-completion OPT

C03B is the card most F-1 graduates get first. It rests on your F-1 status plus your DSO's recommendation in SEVIS. That means:

• It isn't tied to an employer. You can work for any employer as long as the job is directly related to your field of study.
• The 90-day unemployment limit applies. Days without qualifying employment count against your OPT. That limit is unchanged as of October 2026.
• Initial OPT was never auto-extended. You can't start working until the card is approved and its start date arrives. The 2025-10-30 rule didn't change that.

The full filing sequence, including the DSO recommendation and the I-20 you need, is covered in our step-by-step I-765 OPT walkthrough.

C03C: 24-month STEM OPT extension

C03C is the STEM OPT extension. It is still F-1-based, but it adds conditions:

• A degree on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List.
• An employer enrolled in E-Verify. The I-765 asks for the employer's name as it appears in E-Verify and its E-Verify company identification number.
• A signed Form I-983 training plan, with reporting duties for both you and your employer.
• An aggregate unemployment limit of 150 days across post-completion OPT and the STEM extension.

After a timely STEM OPT I-765, F-1 regulations can let you keep working on an expired C03B card while the application is pending. That bridge comes from the F-1 rules, not the renewal-EAD provision the 2025-10-30 rule rewrote. Whether it covers your case is a question to confirm with your DSO before you rely on it. Our STEM OPT EAD extension timing guide walks through the mechanics.

C09: pending adjustment of status

C09 belongs to people with a pending Form I-485, often H-1B and H-4 holders at the adjustment stage. The card rests on the pending I-485, so if the I-485 is denied or withdrawn, the basis for the card goes with it. Two October 2026 details:

• Fee. Under the G-1055 fee schedule (edition 10/07/26), an I-765 filed with a pending I-485 that was filed on or after April 1, 2024 costs $260.
• Renewals. A C09 renewal filed on or after 2025-10-30 gets no automatic extension, so a pending renewal doesn't carry you past the printed expiry.

Many C09 holders keep H-1B or H-4 status in parallel. Which basis you work under is a question for your immigration attorney. Our C09 category guide goes deeper.

C26: H-4 spouse EAD

C26 is the H-4 EAD. It is available to certain H-4 spouses of H-1B workers, generally where the H-1B spouse has an approved I-140, or has extended H-1B status beyond the usual six-year limit under AC21 sections 106(a) and (b). The I-765 for C26 asks for evidence of the H-1B spouse's status and of the basis that qualifies you, and USCIS lists that evidence in the form instructions.

No rule rescinds the H-4 EAD, whatever you have read about H-4 EAD removal. What changed is narrower:

• H-4 EAD renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30 get no automatic extension.
• H-4 renewals timely filed before 2025-10-30 kept the automatic extension, as long as the H-4 I-94 was unexpired.

The practical risk for a C26 holder is a gap between cards. Our H-4 EAD eligibility and application guide explains the filing package. Our explainer on the final rule ending automatic EAD extensions covers I-9 proof.

EAD categories at a glance (as of October 2026)

Fees come from the USCIS G-1055 fee schedule, edition 10/07/26. Where a cell says "Check G-1055," look up the live amount there, or see our I-765 fee breakdown by category.

What changed, and what to do differently

Under the OPT fee proposal the SEVP-certified school is the payer, though it may pass the cost on, and it would apply only to DSO recommendations dated 60 or more days after a final rule. It is not a current cost of any C03B or C03C application.

How to check and use your category: a step-by-step

1. Find the Category field. Read the code as printed (say C03C) and translate it to I-765 format ((c)(3)(C)).
2. Match it to your current basis. On STEM OPT but the card reads C03B? Check whether the STEM application is still pending or the card has an error. The form instructions on the I-765 page cover replacement requests, including for cards USCIS printed incorrectly.
3. Note the validity dates. "Valid From" and "Card Expires" bound your permission. A pending renewal doesn't stretch the card.
4. Keep the underlying evidence. C03B and C03C rest on your I-20 and SEVIS record, C09 on the I-485 receipt, C26 on your spouse's H-1B and I-140 or AC21 documents.
5. Check the form edition before any new filing. As of October 2026 that is the 08/21/25 edition (edition and filing address details).
6. Ask the right person. F-1, OPT, STEM OPT and SEVIS questions go to your DSO. H-4, C09 or a gap between cards go to a licensed immigration attorney.

What employers and E-Verify see

Your EAD is a List A document for Form I-9, proving identity and work authorization. HR records its number and expiry date and reverifies before it lapses. The USCIS Form I-9 page explains the employer's side, and SEVP's Study in the States site explains reporting duties for C03B and C03C.

Your category also shapes the sponsorship conversation. A C03B or C03C candidate will usually need H-1B sponsorship later. A C26 or C09 holder's permission doesn't depend on that employer. Describe your status briefly and keep your card dates handy.

Common mistakes

• Reading C03B and C03C as the same thing. They carry different unemployment limits (90 versus 150 days in aggregate) and different employer duties, including E-Verify.
• Assuming a pending renewal extends a C09 or C26 card. For renewals filed on or after 2025-10-30, it doesn't.
• Believing the "H-4 EAD is being removed" rumor. No rescission rule exists; only automatic extension changed.
• Treating the proposed OPT fee as law. The $70,000 / $30,000 figures are proposed, and the school is the legal payer under the proposal.
• Filing the wrong form edition. USCIS rejects the 09/15/26 edition.
• Traveling while an OPT or STEM OPT I-765 is pending. Don't. Talk to your DSO first.

Frequently asked questions

What does C03B mean on an EAD card?

C03B is how the card prints eligibility category (c)(3)(B), which is post-completion OPT for an F-1 student. It means your work authorization comes from your F-1 status and your DSO's OPT recommendation, so it is tied to the 90-day unemployment limit and to your SEVIS record, not to a specific employer.

What is the difference between C03B and C03C?

C03B is regular post-completion OPT. C03C is the 24-month STEM OPT extension, which requires a qualifying STEM degree, an employer enrolled in E-Verify and a Form I-983 training plan. The unemployment limit also changes from 90 days on post-completion OPT to 150 days in aggregate once you are on the STEM extension.

Does a C26 H-4 EAD still get an automatic extension?

Not for renewals filed on or after October 30, 2025. The interim final rule of that date ended automatic extension of renewal EADs, including H-4 EADs in category (c)(26), and the final rule effective October 14, 2026 adopted it without change. The H-4 EAD itself has not been rescinded. H-4 renewals timely filed before October 30, 2025 kept the extension if the H-4 I-94 was unexpired.

Where do I enter the eligibility category on Form I-765?

Part 2 of Form I-765 asks for your eligibility category in the format the instructions use, such as (c)(3)(B) or (c)(26). As of October 2026 USCIS accepts the 08/21/25 edition of the form and does not accept the 09/15/26 edition, so download the current form from the USCIS I-765 page before you fill it in.

Which EAD category should I file under?

The category follows from the status or pending application that makes you eligible, and the I-765 instructions list the evidence each one needs. For anything tied to F-1 status, OPT or STEM OPT, confirm with your DSO. For H-4, a pending I-485 or any situation with more than one possible basis, confirm with a licensed immigration attorney before you file.

Sources

• USCIS, Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization: accepted edition and form instructions
• USCIS, Form G-1055 Fee Schedule, edition 10/07/26
• USCIS, Case processing times
• USCIS, Form I-9
• SEVP, Study in the States
• Federal Register, Removal of Automatic Extensions for Certain Employment Authorization Documents (final rule, 91 FR 65306, 2026-10-14)
• Federal Register, Optional Practical Training Fees NPRM (proposed, 2026-10-08)

This is general information, not legal advice. Your own card, I-20, I-94 and USCIS notices govern.

Job hunting on a C03B, C03C or C26 card? If you'd like help planning a search around your work-authorization dates, talk to F1Jobs.