SNAP Benefits: When Will My Card Be Reloaded?

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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are designed to help low-income families purchase food by providing money once a month. In most states, the benefits are deposited on the same day each month, based on factors such as your Social Security number, last name, case number or account number.

When Does EBT Reload?

In general, benefits for new cases receiving SNAP benefits are deposited between the 1st and 10th of the month. The last digit of the head of the household’s individual identification number will determine the date you receive benefits each month.

If have eligibility for SNAP benefits and wonder when your SNAP benefits are deposited every month, the easiest option is to visit the Providers website and find your state in the “EBT in My State” dropdown tab.

How Do SNAP Benefits Work?

In most states, after you apply for SNAP, the benefits are transferred to recipients via a prepaid electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which is a debit card with the specific benefit amounts already loaded onto the EBT card. Individual states are responsible for scheduling when SNAP payments go out as part of this social service.

When EBT Will Reload by State

Here is a rundown of when SNAP benefits are reloaded in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and U.S. territories:

• Alabama: Between the 4th and 23rd of the month, depending on your case number.
• Alaska: First day of the month.
• Arizona: Between the 1st and 13th of the month, depending on the first letter of your last name.
• Arkansas: Between the 4th and the 13th of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• California: First 10 days of the month, depending on the last digit of your case number.
• Colorado: Between the 1st and 10th of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• Connecticut: From the 1st to the 3rd of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Delaware: Loaded over 23 days, beginning with the 2nd day of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Florida: Between the 1st and 28th of the month, based on the 9th and 8th digits of your case number.
• Georgia: Between the 5th and 23rd of the month, based on the last two digits of your ID number.
• Guam: First day of the month.
• Hawaii: The 3rd and 5th of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Idaho: During the first 10 days of the month, based on the last number of your birth year.
• Illinois: On the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 17th and 20th of the month, based on a combination of the type of case and the case name.
• Indiana: From the 5th to the 23rd of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Iowa: During the first 10 days of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Kansas: During the first 10 days of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Kentucky: During the first 19 days of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Louisiana: Between the 1st and the 14th of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• Maine: From the 10th to the 14th of the month, based on the last digit of your birthday.
• Maryland: From the 4th to the 23rd of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Massachusetts: During the first 14 days of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• Michigan: From the 3rd to the 21st of the month, based on the last two digits of your ID number.
• Minnesota: From the 4th to the 13th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Mississippi: From the 4th to the 21st of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Missouri: During the first 22 days of the month, based on your birth month and last name.
• Montana: Between the 2nd and 6th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Nebraska: From the 1st to the 5th of the month, based on the last digit of your head of household’s Social Security number.
• Nevada: During the first 10 days of the month, based on the last number of your birth year.
• New Hampshire: The fifth day of the month.
• New Jersey: During the first 5 calendar days of the month, based on the 7th digit of your case number.
• New Mexico: During the first 20 days of the month, based on the last two digits of your Social Security number.
• New York: During the first 9 days of the month, based on the last digit of your case number, except in New York City, where benefits are loaded over 13 days that are not Sundays or holidays.
• North Carolina: From the 3rd to the 21st of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• North Dakota: The first day of the month.
• Ohio: From the 2nd to the 20th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Oklahoma: From the 1st to the 10th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Oregon: From the 1st to the 9th of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• Pennsylvania: During the first 10 business days of the month, based on the last digit of your case record number.
• Puerto Rico: Between the 4th and 22nd of the month, based on the last digit of your Social Security number.
• Rhode Island: The first day of the month.
• South Carolina: During the first 10 days of the month, based on Social Security number, for those who’ve received benefits continuously since before Sept. 1, 2021; otherwise, from the 1st to the 19th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• South Dakota: The 10th of the month.
• Tennessee: From the 1st to the 20th of the month, based on the last two digits of your Social Security number.
• Texas: During the first 15 days of the month, based on the last digit of your Eligibility Determination Group, or EDG, number.
• Utah: On the 5th, 11th or 15th of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Vermont: The first day of the month.
• Virginia: From the 1st to the 9th of the month, based on the last digit of your case number.
• Washington: Staggered according to application date and application finalized period:
  • Application date from the 1st through 15th of the month and finalized period from 1st through 15th of the month, paid on the 1st through the 10th of the month.
  • Application date from the 1st through 15th of the month and finalized period from 16th through 31st of the month, paid on the 11th through the 20th of the month.
  • Application date from the 16th through the 22nd of the month and finalized on any date, paid on the 1st through the 10th of the month.
  • Application date from the 23rd through the 31st of the month and finalized on any date, paid on the 11th through the 20th of the month.
• Washington, D.C.: From the 1st to the 10th of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• West Virginia: During the first nine days of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.
• Wisconsin: During the first 15 days of the month, based on the eighth digit of your Social Security number.
• Wyoming: From the 1st to the 4th of the month, based on the first letter of your last name.

Final Take

You can use your SNAP benefit card at any SNAP-authorized retailer. Authorized retailers include most supermarkets, as well as some farmers markets, convenience stores and big-box stores like Walmart and Target. You can also use the card at some online grocery retailers.

Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.

Information is accurate as of March 13, 2023, and is subject to change.

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