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How SNAP Works: EBT Cards, Benefit Amounts and Renewals

By KPCB StaffCombined Expertise In The Low Income Housing Space For 10 Years · How we write our guides

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SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, once called food stamps) puts money for groceries on an EBT card each month. You apply through your state, not the federal government, and applying is free. Once you're approved, you shop at stores that take SNAP, report certain changes, and renew before your approval period runs out.

This guide covers how the program works once you're in it. If you first want to know whether your income is low enough, start with our quick guide to SNAP eligibility and benefits, or use the KPCB Edge benefit finder to check several programs at once.

How to apply

SNAP is a federal program run by USDA's Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), but your state agency handles your application, interview, EBT card and case. FNA can't see your case, so contact your state or local SNAP office with questions about your benefits.

You must apply in the state where you live now. Each state has its own form, and you can usually apply online, by mail, in person at a local office, or by calling the state's SNAP hotline.

  1. Find your state on the SNAP State Directory and open its application.
  2. Turn in the application as soon as you can. If you're approved, your benefits count back to the date you submitted it.
  3. Complete the eligibility interview. It is usually by phone or in person.
  4. Send the proof your state asks for, such as pay stubs, benefit letters, rent or mortgage bills and utility bills. Your state will tell you what it needs.
  5. Watch for a notice saying whether you were approved and how long your approval lasts.

If you can't get to an office or go online, you can name someone you trust as an authorized representative to apply and do the interview for you. You must name that person in writing.

How long it takes

In most cases, the state sends a decision within 30 days of your application.

Some households can get benefits within 7 days. Examples FNA gives: your household has less than $100 in cash and bank accounts and less than $150 in monthly gross income, or your monthly income plus cash on hand is less than what you pay each month for rent or mortgage and utilities. Ask your state agency about this when you apply.

Using your EBT card

If you're approved, your benefits go onto an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that works like a debit card. Your state adds your benefits to the account each month on a set schedule. FNA posts a monthly issuance schedule for every state.

At checkout, you swipe or insert the card and enter your PIN. The store takes the cost of eligible food out of your SNAP balance. If you're buying other items too, you pay for those another way.

You can use the card at grocery stores and other SNAP-authorized retailers, including many farmers markets. The SNAP Retailer Locator shows authorized stores near any address or ZIP code.

Shopping online

SNAP online shopping is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. FNA keeps a map of retailers that accept SNAP online in each state. You still enter your PIN online. SNAP pays only for the food itself, so delivery fees and other charges must be paid some other way.

If your card is lost, stolen or damaged

Call your state's EBT customer service line right away. The number is usually on the back of your card or on your state's SNAP website. Federal rules require the state to put a hold on the account when you report it and to mail a replacement or have one ready for pickup within two business days. Once you've reported the card lost or stolen, the state is responsible for benefits taken from the account after that report.

Your state may take a small replacement fee out of your benefits. It can't be more than what the card costs to replace.

Keep your PIN private and check your balance often. If you think your card was skimmed or your benefits were stolen, report it to your state agency and ask whether the stolen benefits can be replaced.

Benefits you don't use

Benefits you don't spend carry over to the next month. If you don't use your card at all for a long time, though, you can lose them. Under federal rules, the state can move benefits offline after a period of no use and must send you a notice first. Benefits in an account with no activity for nine months (274 days) can be permanently removed.

What you can buy with SNAP

SNAP covers food for your household to eat at home, including:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meat, poultry and fish
  • Milk, cheese and other dairy products
  • Bread and cereal
  • Snack foods and non-alcoholic drinks
  • Seeds and plants that grow food for your household

SNAP does not cover:

  • Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
  • Food or drinks with cannabis, marijuana or CBD
  • Vitamins, medicines and supplements (anything with a "Supplement Facts" label)
  • Live animals, except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered before pickup
  • Food that is hot when you buy it
  • Pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, hygiene items and cosmetics

Soda and candy limits in some states

Some states now have USDA approval to stop SNAP from paying for soda, candy, energy drinks or similar items. Each state sets its own list and start date.

According to FNA's waiver list (updated October 13, 2026), restrictions had already started in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina and Virginia were set to start November 1, 2026, and Nebraska December 1, 2026. Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and Wyoming have later start dates in 2027 or 2028.

On June 22, 2026, a federal court in Washington, D.C., vacated the approvals for Colorado, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia, so those states' restrictions may not go forward. Dates can change, so check FNA's SNAP Food Restriction Waivers page or your state's SNAP website for the current rules.

How your benefit amount is figured

SNAP expects a household to spend about 30% of its own resources on food. Your monthly benefit (called your allotment) is the maximum amount for your household size minus 30% of your net income.

Net income is your gross income minus certain deductions. The main ones for October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. are:

  • 20% of any earned income
  • A standard deduction ($217 for households of 1 to 3 people; higher for some larger households)
  • Child care or dependent care costs you pay so you can work, train or go to school
  • Medical costs over $35 a month for a household member who is 60 or older or disabled, if insurance or someone else doesn't pay them
  • Legally owed child support, in some states
  • Shelter costs (rent or mortgage, property taxes, utilities and one phone line) that are more than half your income after the other deductions, capped at $769 a month unless someone in the household is elderly or disabled

Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, internet service fees no longer count as a shelter cost.

Maximum monthly benefits

These amounts apply from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, in the 48 contiguous states and D.C. They are different in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

People in householdMaximum monthly benefit
1$306
2$562
3$808
4$1,023
5$1,217
6$1,463
7$1,616
8$1,841
Each person after 8Add $225

A simple example

Say a household of three has $1,000 a month in net income after deductions.

  • 30% of $1,000 is $300.
  • The maximum for three people is $808.
  • $808 minus $300 is $508 a month in SNAP.

The more net income you have, the lower your benefit. Only your state agency can figure your actual amount, because it decides which income and deductions count. Income limits by household size are in our SNAP eligibility guide.

Reporting changes while you get SNAP

Your approval notice tells you which changes you must report and how. States use different reporting systems, so follow your notice.

Under federal rules, households usually have 10 days to report a required change. Depending on your state, that's 10 days from when you learn of the change or 10 days from the end of the month it happened. For a change in income, the clock usually starts when you get the first paycheck or payment at the new amount.

Some states use a system called simplified reporting. If you're on it, you must report between renewals when:

  • Your household's monthly gross income goes over the gross income limit for your household size
  • An adult subject to the work time limit drops below 20 hours of work a week, averaged over the month
  • Someone in the household wins a large lottery or gambling prize

If you're unsure whether a change counts, ask your caseworker or report it.

Renewing your benefits (recertification)

You get SNAP for a set length of time called a certification period. It is usually no longer than 12 months. States can approve households where every adult is 60 or older or disabled for up to 24 months, with at least one check-in each year.

Before your period ends, the state sends a notice telling you to recertify. Recertifying usually means a form, an interview and updated proof of income and expenses. Federal rules require an interview at least once every 12 months for households certified for 12 months or less. Your state must give you at least 10 days after the interview to send in proof.

If you miss your interview, call and ask for another one. The state must schedule a second interview if you ask. Turn in your renewal early so your benefits don't stop.

Work rules

Most adults ages 16 to 59 who can work must register for work, take a suitable job if offered, not quit or cut hours below 30 a week without a good reason, and join a work or training program if the state assigns one. People already working 30 hours a week, caring for a child under 6, or unable to work for health reasons are among those excused.

Adults without dependents face a stricter rule. They can get SNAP for only 3 months in a 3-year period unless they work, volunteer or join a work program at least 80 hours a month. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 widened who this time limit covers. The parent exception now applies only to someone responsible for a child under 14, and the law dropped the separate exceptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who aged out of foster care. It also extends the time limit to older adults who used to be exempt. Your state SNAP agency can tell you whether the time limit applies to you.

FNA says it is still updating its work requirements page for these changes. Ask your state agency which rules apply to you. Hours in SNAP Employment and Training or another work program count toward the 80 hours.

If you disagree with a decision

You can ask for a fair hearing if you disagree with any decision on your case, such as a denial, a lower benefit or a case closing. You must ask within 90 days of the decision. You can ask by phone, in writing or in person at your local SNAP office.

Free legal aid offices can help you prepare. Find one near you at LawHelp.org.

Getting other help

If you need food right away, the USDA National Hunger Hotline, run by Hunger Free America, can point you to food banks and meal sites. Call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. You can also text a question with a keyword like "food" or "SNAP" to 914-342-7744.

Families with young children may also qualify for WIC. Our guide to the difference between SNAP and WIC explains how the two programs fit together. If utility bills are eating into your food budget, see our guide to energy assistance through LIHEAP.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to apply for SNAP?

No. Applying through your state agency is free. Only your state agency can decide whether you qualify.

When will my SNAP benefits be loaded each month?

Each state adds benefits on its own schedule. Check FNA's monthly issuance schedule or your state's SNAP website.

Can I use SNAP to buy hot food or restaurant meals?

Generally no. SNAP doesn't pay for food that is hot when you buy it.

Who counts as part of my SNAP household?

People who live together and buy and cook food together are one household. Spouses, and most children under 22 living with their parents, are counted in the same household even if they buy and cook separately.

Can non-citizens get SNAP?

Some can. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 narrowed eligibility to U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living in the U.S. under a Compact of Free Association, and every applicant must also meet the income and other rules. If some household members don't qualify, the state must still check eligibility for the others, such as U.S. citizen children. Ask your state agency how the change applies to your family.

Sources

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