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Resource | Policy Comment Request - SNAP 2008 Farm Bill Provisions

This collection is for providing SNAP households advance or concurrent notice of state agency action to store unused SNAP benefits offline due to three or more months of account inactivity and for those households to seek reinstatement of benefits prior to permanent expungement. Additionally, this collection is for providing SNAP households advance or concurrent notice prior to the state agency expunging unused SNAP benefits from the household's Electronic Benefit Transfer account due to nine months of account inactivity.

04/24/2025
Resource | Technical Assistance Retailer Instructions for SNAP EBT Chip Card Transactions at Point of Sale

Retailer notice with instructions for SNAP EBT chip card transactions at point of sale. Customers who have EBT chip cards should always attempt a chip (insert or tap) transaction first. The transaction may need to be completed with a swipe of the magnetic stripe, but the first transaction attempt should always use the chip. 

04/02/2025
Resource | Technical Assistance Attention: California and Bordering State SNAP EBT Retailers

This retailer notice is for California and bordering states SNAP retailers. The purpose of this communication is to remind you of the impact to you as an authorized SNAP retailer if you have not prepared your stores to accept EBT chip card technology.

02/04/2025
Resource | Policy Letter to Governors - SNAP EBT Chip Cards

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a letter today encouraging all governors to invest in SNAP EBT cards with chip technology for their states.

11/15/2024
Resource | Technical Assistance Attention: California and Oklahoma Bordering State SNAP EBT Retailers

SNAP retailer notice for SNAP authorized retailers in a state that borders California or Oklahoma. Since these states will be issuing SNAP EBT chip cards to clients soon, retailers must be prepared to accept this type of card.

11/01/2024
Resource | Policy Letter to Commissioners - SNAP EBT Chip Cards

FNS is pleased to announce that the X9 Committee ratified and published revised EBT standards in August 2024. Finalizing these standards is a significant step towards modernizing SNAP EBT technology and combating benefit theft. These technical standards provide the opportunity for states to implement EBT cards with chip technology.

10/28/2024
Resource | Technical Assistance Attention: California and Oklahoma SNAP EBT Retailers

SNAP retailer notice with updated guidance for California and Oklahoma retailers participating in the SNAP EBT card Chip and Tap technology testing.

04/26/2024
Basic page SNAP Eligibility

To get SNAP benefits, you must apply in the state in which you currently live and you must meet certain requirements, including resource and income limits, which are described on this page. SNAP income and resource limits are updated annually.

10/01/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance SNAP EBT

Electronic Benefits Transfer is an electronic system that allows a SNAP participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits. When a participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased. EBT is in use in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

05/24/2023
Resource | Training and Outreach Training and Presentations

The FNS State Systems team has produced a series of training presentations designed to help state agencies understand and comply with the FNS approval process. These eight on-line presentations correspond to FNS Handbook 901, with information on the key documents or phases in the process.

01/26/2023
Page updated: October 14, 2021