Eligibility

To see if you might be eligible for food stamp benefits, visit our pre-screening tool.

For Households in the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia 10/1/07 through 9/30/08. To get food stamps, households must meet certain tests, including resource and income tests:

	Resources
	Income
	Deductions
	Employment Requirements
	Special Rules for Elderly or Disabled
	Immigrant Eligibility

 Resources:

Households may have $2,000 in countable resources, such as a bank account. Households may have $3,000 if at least one person is age 60 or older, or is disabled. Certain resources are not counted, such as a home and lot and the resources of people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

Licensed vehicles are handled as follows:

For the following vehicles, the amount of the fair market value over $4,650 is counted:

	One licensed vehicle per adult household member, and
	Any other vehicle a teen-aged member drives to work, school, or job training, or to look for work.

Vehicles are NOT counted if they are:

	Used over 50 percent of the time for income-producing purposes,
	Annually producing income consistent with their fair market value,
	Needed for long distance travel for work (other than daily commute),
	Used as the home,
	Needed to transport a physically disabled household member, or
	Needed to carry most of the household's fuel or water,
	Worth no more than $1,500, after any loans are paid off.

For all other vehicles, food stamp rules count either the fair market value over $4,650, or the equity value (fair market value minus any loans), whichever is greater. Many States have elected to use their TANF vehicle rules rather than their food stamp vehicle rules, when doing so helps a household meet the resource test.  Check with your local food stamp office to learn which rules it is using for counting vehicles.
  

 Income:

Households have to meet income tests unless all members are receiving TANF, SSI, or in some places general assistance. Most households must meet both the gross and net income tests, but a household with an elderly person or a person who is receiving certain types of disability payments only has to meet the net income test. Households, except those noted, that have income over the amounts listed below cannot get food stamps.

(Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 30, 2008)

Gross income means a household's total, nonexcluded income, before any deductions have been made. Net income means gross income minus allowable deductions.

*Increases are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.

Deductions are allowed as follows:

	A 20 percent deduction from earned income;
	A standard deduction of $134 for households of 1 to 3 people (HThigherTH for larger households);
	A dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education--but not more than $200 for each child under age 2 and not more than $175 for each other dependent;
	Medical expenses for elderly or disabled members that are more than $35 for the month if they are not paid by insurance or someone else;
	Legally owed child support payments;
	Some States allow homeless households a set amount ($143) for shelter costs; and
	Excess shelter costs that are more than half of the household's income after the other deductions. Allowable costs include the cost of fuel to heat and cook with, electricity, water, the basic fee for one telephone, rent or mortgage payments and taxes on the home. (Some States allow a set amount for utility costs instead of actual costs.) The amount of the shelter deduction cannot be more than $431 unless one person in the household is elderly or disabled.

 Benefits:

The amount of benefits the household gets is called an allotment. The net monthly income of the household is multiplied by .3, and the result is subtracted from the maximum allotment for the household size to find the household's allotment. This is because food stamp households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their resources on food.

(Oct. 1, 2007 through Sept. 30, 2008)

If a household applies after the first day of the month, benefits will be provided from the day the household applies.

The Food Stamp Program is available to all eligible households regardless of race, sex, religious creed, national origin, or political beliefs.

For further information, contact your local or State food stamp office. It may be listed in the State or local government pages of the telephone book, under food stamps, social services, human services or a similar name. You can also find the nearest local office by calling your State's food stamp hot line.

 Employment Requirements

With some exceptions, able-bodied adults between 16 and 60 must register for work, accept suitable employment, and take part in an employment and training program to which they are referred by the food stamp office. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the Program. In addition, able-bodied adults between 18 and 50 who do not have any dependent children can get food stamps only for 3 months in a 36-month period if they do not work or participate in a workfare or employment and training program other than job search. This requirement is waived in some locations. 

 Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled

Most food stamp rules apply to all households, but there are a few special rules for households that contain an elderly or disabled member.

Who is Elderly?

A person is elderly if he or she is 60 years of age or older.

Who is Disabled?

Generally, a person is considered to be disabled for food stamp purposes if he or she:

	Receives Federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability or blindness payments; or
	Receives State disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules; or
	Receives a disability retirement benefit from a governmental agency because of a disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act; or
	Receives an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act and is eligible for Medicare or is considered to be disabled based on the SSI rules; or
	Is a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently housebound, or in need of regular aid and attendance; or
	Is a surviving spouse or child of a veteran who is receiving VA benefits and is considered to be permanently disabled.

How do I Get Food Stamps?

A member of your household has to apply at the local food stamp office. It should be listed in the government section of the local telephone book. This is generally the quickest way to find the local food stamp office. If that doesn't work, try calling the Food Stamp Hotline for your State. Most of them are toll free numbers.

If you are unable to go to the food stamp office, you may have another person, called an authorized representative, apply and be interviewed on your behalf. You must designate the authorized representative  in writing.

Normally a household must file an application form, have a face-to-face interview, and provide proof (verification) of certain information, such as income and expenses. The office interview may be waived if the household is unable to appoint an authorized representative and no household member is able to go to the food stamp office because of age or disability. If the office interview is waived, the food stamp office will interview you by telephone or do a home visit. A home visit must be scheduled beforehand with the household.

What is a Household?

Everyone who lives together and purchases and prepares meals together is grouped together as one household. However, if a person is 60 years of age or older and he or she is unable to purchase and prepare meals separately because of a permanent disability, the person and the person's spouse may be a separate household if the others they live with do not have very much income.  (More than 165 percent of the poverty level.)

Some people who live together, such as husbands and wives and most children under age 22, are included in the same household, even if they purchase and prepare meals separately.

Normally people are not eligible for food stamps if an institution gives them their meals. However, there is one exception for elderly persons and one for disabled persons:

	Residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly may be eligible for food stamps, even though they receive their meals at the facility.
	Disabled persons who live in certain nonprofit group living arrangements (small group homes with no more than 16 residents) may be eligible for food stamps, even though the group home prepares their meals for them.

What Resources Can I Have (and Still Get Food Stamps)?

A household with an elderly or disabled member may have up to $3,000 in resources. A household without an elderly or disabled person may have up to $2000 in resources.  Some resources are not counted, such as your home and lot and up to $4,650 of the fair market value of one car per adult household member (and one car per teen-aged household member if the teenager is using it to go to work, look for work, or prepare for work). If a vehicle is needed to transport a physically disabled household member, its value is not counted. The resources of people who get SSI and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are not counted at all.  An important exception to this is that in the State of California SSI recipients are not eligible for food stamps, because they receive a State supplement to their SSI benefits in lieu of food stamps.

What Are the Income Limits?

Most households have to meet both a monthly gross income test and a monthly net income test to be eligible for food stamps. However, households in which all members are receiving SSI or TANF are considered to be eligible based on income. Other households with one or more elderly members only have to meet the net income test. Net income is gross income minus certain deductions.

What Deductions Are Allowed?

The allowable deductions are: a standard deduction for all households; a 20% earned income deduction; a deduction for dependent care costs when necessary for work, training, or education; a deduction for legally owed child support payments; a deduction for medical costs for elderly and disabled people; and an excess shelter cost deduction.

Medical deduction. For elderly members and disabled members, allowable medical costs that are more than $35 a month may be deducted unless an insurance company or someone who is not a household member pays for them. Only the amount over $35 each month may be deducted. Allowable costs include most medical and dental expenses, such as doctor bills, prescription drugs and other over-the-counter medication when approved by a doctor, dentures, inpatient and outpatient hospital expenses, and nursing care. They also include other medically related expenses, such as certain transportation costs, attendant care, and health insurance premiums. The costs of special diets are not allowable medical costs. Proof of medical expenses and insurance payments is required before a deduction for these expenses may be allowed.

Shelter deduction. The shelter deduction is for shelter costs that are more than half of the household's income after other deductions. Allowable shelter costs include the costs of rent or mortgage, taxes, interest, and utilities such as gas, electricity, and water. For most households, there is a limit on the amount of the deduction that can be allowed, but for a household with an elderly or disabled member all shelter costs over half of the household's income may be deducted.

Receiving Food Stamps:

States issue food stamps through local State or county offices to households that are eligible to receive them. Traditionally, they issued paper food stamps, but increasingly, States issue food stamps through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). All States will be using EBT for food stamp issuance by 2002. The food stamp office gives the household a plastic electronic card. The household pays for its groceries at authorized food stores (almost all food stores are authorized) by using the card at the checkout counter. It works like the bank debit card that other people use to pay for their groceries in increasing numbers of stores. The cost of the groceries bought is deducted from the household's account automatically. A major advantage of this method is that the use of food coupons is not conspicuous. Most other people in line will not notice that the person checking out is paying with food coupons. We have found that food stamp households like this feature, because it reduces the stigma many people feel in using food stamps.

A second advantage is that the household no longer needs to go anywhere to pick up benefits each month. Benefits are automatically loaded into the household's account each month on the designated date. We have found that households especially enjoy this feature.

Nondiscrimination:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital and family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Further Information:

Contact your local food stamp office for further information or to file an application for food stamps. For more information on the treatment of income, and a sample calculation of eligibility and benefits, see Eligibility and Benefits.

 Immigrant Eligibility Requirements

The 2002 Farm Bill restores food stamp eligibility to most legal immigrants that:

	Have lived in the country for 5 years; or
	Are receiving disability-related assistance or benefits, regardless of entry date; or
	Starting 10-1-03, are children regardless of entry date.

Certain non-citizens such as those admitted for humanitarian reasons and those admitted for permanent residence are also eligible for the program. Eligible household members can get food stamps even if there are other members of the household that are not eligible.

(See Food Stamp Policy on Immigrants for information on qualified alien categories and eligibility)

Non-citizens that are in the U.S. temporarily, such as students, are not eligible. 

A number of States have their own programs to provide benefits to immigrants who do not meet the regular Food Stamp Program eligibility requirements.  For a table of those programs, see State Programs.

Last modified: 03/14/2008