When Do EBT Cards Refill? Your Complete State-by-State SNAP Guide for 2026

If you’re receiving SNAP benefits, one of the first questions is always: when do EBT cards refill? The answer isn’t as simple as “the same day every month.” The refill timing for your Electronic Benefits Transfer card varies significantly depending on where you live and how your state manages the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Understanding this schedule is crucial for planning your grocery budget and avoiding overdrafts.

Understanding EBT Card Refill Schedules and SNAP Distribution Patterns

SNAP provides monthly financial assistance to low-income families, helping them purchase food items like fruits, vegetables, dairy, bread, and more. Rather than mailing physical checks, most states distribute these benefits through prepaid EBT cards—essentially debit cards with your allocated funds already loaded onto them.

So when do EBT cards refill each month? In most states, the specific date depends on factors associated with your household, such as your Social Security number, last name, case number, or account identification digits. This staggered distribution system serves a practical purpose: it prevents overwhelming retailers and banking systems with all transactions happening on a single date.

The federal government allows individual states to set their own EBT distribution schedules within broad guidelines. Most states spread refills across the first two to three weeks of each month. Some concentrate distributions in the first 10 days, while others extend them through the 20th or beyond.

How Your State Determines When SNAP Benefits Refill

Each state uses different criteria to determine your exact refill date:

Regional Patterns:

• Early-month states: Alaska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont deposit benefits on the 1st
• Mid-month states: New Hampshire deposits on the 5th, South Dakota on the 10th
• Extended schedules: Florida extends through the 28th, Illinois through the 20th, and Missouri through the 22nd

Distribution Factors: Your EBT card refill date typically depends on one of these identifiers:

• Last digit of your Social Security number (used by Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, and many others)
• Last digit of your case number (Alabama, California, Minnesota, Ohio, and others)
• First letter of your last name (Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, and more)
• Last two digits of your ID number (Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi)
• Your birth month or birth year (Maine based on birthday, Nevada on birth year, Missouri on birth month)
• Your application and approval dates (Washington state uses this unique system)

To find your exact refill date without guessing, visit your state’s EBT agency website or use the official provider directory to search “EBT in My State.” This is especially important if you’re new to SNAP benefits.

Complete State-by-State EBT Refill Schedule

Here’s when SNAP benefits refill in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C. and U.S. territories:

Alabama: 4th-23rd (based on case number) Alaska: 1st Arizona: 1st-13th (based on first letter of last name) Arkansas: 4th-13th (based on last digit of Social Security number) California: 1st-10th (based on last digit of case number) Colorado: 1st-10th (based on last digit of Social Security number) Connecticut: 1st-3rd (based on first letter of last name) Delaware: 2nd-24th (based on first letter of last name) Florida: 1st-28th (based on 8th and 9th digits of case number) Georgia: 5th-23rd (based on last two digits of ID number) Guam: 1st-10th Hawaii: 3rd-5th (based on first letter of last name) Idaho: 1st-10th (based on last digit of birth year) Illinois: 1st-20th (based on case type and name) Indiana: 5th-23rd (based on first letter of last name) Iowa: 1st-10th (based on first letter of last name) Kansas: 1st-10th (based on first letter of last name) Kentucky: 1st-19th (based on last digit of Social Security number) Louisiana: 1st-14th (based on last digit of Social Security number) Maine: 10th-14th (based on last digit of birthday) Maryland: 4th-23rd (based on first letter of last name) Massachusetts: 1st-14th (based on last digit of Social Security number) Michigan: 3rd-21st (based on last two digits of ID number) Minnesota: 4th-13th (based on last digit of case number) Mississippi: 4th-21st (based on last two digits of case number) Missouri: 1st-22nd (based on birth month and last name) Montana: 2nd-6th (based on last digit of case number) Nebraska: 1st-5th (based on household head’s Social Security number) Nevada: 1st-10th (based on last digit of birth year) New Hampshire: 5th New Jersey: 1st-5th (based on 7th digit of case number) New Mexico: 1st-20th (based on last two digits of Social Security number) New York: 1st-9th statewide (1st-13th in NYC, excluding Sundays/holidays) North Carolina: 3rd-21st (based on last digit of Social Security number) North Dakota: 1st Ohio: 2nd-20th (based on last digit of case number) Oklahoma: 1st-10th (based on last digit of case number) Oregon: 1st-9th (based on last digit of Social Security number) Pennsylvania: 1st-10th business days (based on case record number) Puerto Rico: 4th-22nd (based on last digit of Social Security number) Rhode Island: 1st South Carolina: 1st-19th (based on last digit of case number) South Dakota: 10th Tennessee: 1st-20th (based on last two digits of Social Security number) Texas: 1st-15th (based on EDG number) Utah: 5th, 11th, or 15th (based on first letter of last name) Vermont: 1st Virginia: 1st-9th (based on last digit of case number) Washington: Varies (based on application and approval dates) Washington D.C.: 1st-10th (based on first letter of last name) West Virginia: 1st-9th (based on first letter of last name) Wisconsin: 1st-15th (based on 8th digit of Social Security number) Wyoming: 1st-4th (based on first letter of last name)

Where and How to Use Your EBT Card After Refill

Once your EBT card refills, you can use it immediately at any SNAP-authorized retailer. These include:

• Most supermarkets and grocery chains
• Farmers markets and produce stands
• Convenience stores
• Major retailers like Walmart and Target
• Select online grocery delivery services

Your EBT card can purchase virtually any food items for household consumption—produce, proteins, grains, dairy products, and snacks. It cannot be used for non-food items like household supplies, personal hygiene products, or prepared foods.

Knowing exactly when your EBT card refills helps you manage your household budget more effectively and plan your grocery shopping strategically throughout the month.