The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) uses the Lone Star card to deliver benefits for the
food stamp
and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. To view answers to
your most frequently asked questions, move your cursor to the
question you are interested in and select it by clicking your left mouse
button. Or, scroll down the page using the scroll bar on the far right side
of the page.
How do I apply for a Lone Star
card?
To obtain your Lone Star card, contact your local office for an application for TANF
and/or food stamp services. To locate the closest local office near you,
click "Your Texas Benefits” or call 2-1-1 (Texas Information and Referral).
How do I start using my Lone Star
card and PIN?
When you receive your Lone Star card, be sure to sign it on the back. If you
receive your card in the mail, you must call the Help Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)*
to register your card before you can use it. You cannot use your card
until it is registered. After the Help Desk confirms that the right
person received the card, they will register your card and you can
choose your PIN (Personal Identification Number).
If you pick up your card at a local office, you don't have to call the Help Desk to
register it because the local office confirms that you're the right cardholder. Either way
you get your card, you have to wait until you have your PIN and until your
benefits have been put into your account before your card will work.
When can I start using my Lone Star
card and PIN?
Once you have your PIN and your benefits are in your account, you can begin to enjoy
a simple, safe, and smart way to get and use your benefits. The
Benefit Issuance Schedule will tell you when your benefits are available
each month. If you receive food stamp benefits, you can use your Lone Star card
at participating stores to purchase food. If you receive TANF, you can use your
Lone Star card to withdraw cash or make purchases at participating stores. You
can also use your card to make purchases or get cash up to $50 back with a
purchase at most post offices. Ask if your local post office provides this
service.
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When are
food stamp benefits available?
Food stamp monthly benefits are available on a staggered basis over the first fifteen
days of the month, based on the last number in the case number, as follows:
|
FOOD STAMP
BENEFIT ISSUANCE SCHEDULE
|
|
Last digit of case number |
Day of month |
|
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
3 |
|
2 |
5 |
|
3 |
6 |
|
4 |
7 |
|
5 |
9 |
|
6 |
11 |
|
7 |
12 |
|
8 |
13 |
|
9 |
15 |
When are TANF benefits available?
TANF monthly benefits issued via EBT are available on a staggered basis over
the first three days of the month, based on the last digit in the case number, as follows:
|
TANF BENEFIT ISSUANCE SCHEDULE |
|
Last digit of case number |
Day of month |
|
0, 1, 2, 3 |
1 |
|
4, 5, 6 |
2 |
|
7, 8, 9 |
3 |
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What can I buy with my Lone Star card?
Food stamp benefits may be used to purchase food items and garden seeds at retailers
approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). They may not be used
for hot ready-to-eat foods, food marketed to be heated in the store, cigarettes,
alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, or paper goods. Retailers are trained by USDA to
follow these regulations at the time of certification as a food stamp retailer.
In administering the Food Stamp program in Texas, HHSC must follow the rules established
in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) by the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) of the USDA.
States do not have the flexibility to place either more or fewer restrictions on the types of
items that the Federal regulations indicate can be purchased with food stamp benefits.
For more information, click on this link:
In addition, the Lone Star card is also used to carry benefits for the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF benefits can be used to
purchase a much larger range of goods than food stamps. According to Texas state
law, TANF benefits can only be used to purchase goods and services essential or
necessary for the welfare of the family. This includes food, clothing, housing,
utilities, furniture, transportation, telephone, laundry, medical supplies not
paid by Medicaid, and incidentals such as household equipment, supplies, and
recreation for children.
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How do I buy food
with my Lone Star card?
Ask the store where you usually shop if they accept the Lone Star
card or go to stores that have the Lone Star card signs.
Then, go shopping! Remember - you can buy only food items with your food
account.
When you go to the checkout lane, your items will be totaled. Then,
you will swipe your card through a machine to approve your
purchases. Simply follow the directions on the Lone Star machine.
After swiping your card through the machine, you will need to enter your PIN
(personal identification number).
You will either enter your PIN on the same machine that you swiped your
card on, or you will enter your PIN on a separate machine called
the keypad. If you have to enter your PIN on a keypad,
cup one hand around the keypad to hide your PIN so other people can't see
it.
Type in your PIN and press the "ENTER" button. If you type in the wrong
PIN, the machine will not approve your purchase. If you enter the wrong PIN
too many times on the same day, your account will be placed on hold. This
means you will not be able to use your benefits until you call the Help Desk
at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)*.
After you enter your PIN, the machine checks to see how much you have in your
account. If you have enough benefits in your food stamp account to pay for the
purchase, the machine will approve it. If you don't have enough in your
account, the machine will not approve your purchase. Either way, the Lone
Star machine prints a receipt for you. If you don't have enough in your food
stamp
account and you have a cash account, you can use your cash benefits or any
other form of payment to pay for your food purchase.
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If I have a cash account, how do I use my Lone Star
card
to make a cash withdrawal?
If you want to make a cash withdrawal, ask the store clerk or store manager how much money
you can get from your cash account at one time. Some stores allow you to get all of your cash benefits at one time,
but other stores may limit the amount of cash you can withdraw. Some stores may charge you a fee for getting your
cash benefits; it all depends on the store where you choose to shop. During the interview, the advisor will give
you a TANF Client Fee Notification Letter that explains more information about the fees stores may charge.
To get cash from your cash account, follow the same process as when you buy food using your food
stamp account.
You will swipe your card through the Lone Star machine and enter the amount you want to withdraw. Then,
type in your PIN and press the "ENTER" button.
If you have enough cash benefits in your cash account, the clerk will give you your money. However, just like with
your food stamp account, the Lone Star machine will not allow you to get more money than you have in your account.
What should I do if I think my account balance is wrong?
Always get your receipt from the store clerk and keep it. If you think
your balance is incorrect, call the Help Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)*.
If there is a system error, the state may adjust your account and send you a notice.
The state may deduct the adjustment from your current and/or next month’s benefits.
Please contact the Help Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)* if you wish to dispute
the correction to your account. If you disagree, you may request a fair hearing.
If you appeal within 10 days from the date of the notice, you may have the amount of the
adjustment returned to your account until the hearing officer makes a decision.
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Why should I keep my receipt?
Be sure to get your paper receipt from the clerk. Make
sure that the amount printed on the receipt matches the amount you spent. It's
very important that you keep your receipt because it tells you how much you
have left in your account(s). If you have a question about a purchase or
balance, you'll need to show your receipt to the store manager.
There is no minimum amount you must spend when you use your benefits and you
can spend as much as you have in your account.
How can I find out my balance(s)?
The easiest and best way to keep track of your account balance(s) is by saving
your last receipt. Fold it and keep it in the card sleeve pocket. If you have
lost your last receipt, you may call the Help Desk before you go to the store.
If I lose my card, can anyone get my benefits?
The Lone Star card is safe because it needs a secret code (PIN) to make it work. Without the PIN, your card cannot
be used and your benefits are safe.
*What happens if my card is lost or stolen or doesn't work?
Call the Lone Star Help Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)* immediately to report the
problem. Your card will be "frozen." This means that no one - not even you - can use your card to get your food
and cash benefits. If you need a replacement card, the Help Desk will mail you a new card that you'll receive
within about a week.
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*What happens if I forget my PIN or someone knows it?
If you need a new PIN because you forgot your old one or someone knows it, call the Help
Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328)* immediately. You can choose your new PIN through the
Automated Voice Response (AVR) system 24 hours a day,
7 days a week. Choosing your new PIN makes the old one no longer work. If you can't choose your own PIN through the
AVR, you may ask the Help Desk to send you a new PIN packet that you'll
receive in about a week.
It is your responsibility to protect your card and PIN. If your benefits are stolen from your account before
you call the Help Desk, you will lose those benefits. It is also your responsibility to know that it is illegal to
misuse your card or benefits. You are the only person allowed to use your card and your PIN.
What happens if a store's Lone Star machine isn't working?
Even if a store's Lone Star machines aren't working, you can still use your card. The store clerk will call to
see if you have enough benefits in your account.
Instead of getting a receipt from the Lone Star machine, the clerk will fill out a paper voucher for you to sign.
Make sure you get a copy of the voucher for your records.
What happens if I don't use all my benefits in one month?
You won't lose your benefits if you don't use them in one month; unused benefits stay in your account. The next time
benefits are put into your account, they are added to whatever is still in there.
If you don't use your account to buy food or get cash for at least once every three months,
the state puts your case on hold, and no more
benefits are placed in your account. You will still be able to use the benefits already in your account, but you will
need to call your local office so that future benefits can be put into your account.
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What do I do if I move or need to use my benefits outside of Texas?
Call your local office before you leave Texas.
Take your Lone Star card with you.
If you receive food stamp benefits, use your Lone Star card at stores that accept food stamps in
other states. If it does not work, call the Lone Star Help Desk at
1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328).*
If you receive TANF and are leaving Texas, you should be able to use your card at
stores that accept EBT in other states. To be safe, withdraw your money from
your cash account before you leave. When using your card out of state,
make sure to find out if the store charges a fee and the amount of the fee. If
your card does not
work, call the Help Desk at 1-800-777-7EBT (1-800-777-7328).*
*Numbers for people who are hearing impaired
- Help Desk-1-877-765-3458 (TDD)
- Relay Texas-1-800-735-2989 (TTY)
How do I report suspected fraud?
Please report suspected fraud by:
