What happens to SNAP benefits if you move to another state? Is the same card valid?
SNAP is a federal program, but is administered by states meaning that if you move, you will have to take steps to ensure you continue to receive benefits.
Every month tens of millions of Americans receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, formerly known as food stamps. Nowadays, the money issued monthly to eligible low-income housesholds to buy nutritional food is disbursed via Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
The funds for the program come from the USDA (Department of Agriculture), which is passed onto the states which administer the program and top up recipients’ EBT cards each month. The state offices are the entities that beneficiaries must inform about any changes that may effect their eligibility or the amount for which they qualify.
This includes if you move to another state. In order to ensure that you will continue to receive SNAP benefits you will have to take specific steps. Here we will walk you through them.
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What happens to SNAP benefits if you move to another state? Is the same card valid?
As each state has its own SNAP EBT card, the card that was initially received as part of the program will not be valid any longer to receive benefits from another state. Anyone who is planning to move to a new state, must comply with the requirements to continue receiving benefits.
You cannot receive SNAP benefits in the new state until you stop receiving SNAP benefits in the previous state. This means that the first step is to cancel your SNAP benefits in the state where the service was originally registered through the local office. The USDA provides a state directory you can use to locate yours.
It’s advised that you do this a week or two before you move, so you’ll want to take that into account when budgeting your benefits. Canceling your benefits will not erase the benefits on your current EBT card. Any leftover funds will still be available, even after you open a new case in the other state.
In the new state of residence, you will have to re-apply for SNAP benefits at the local office, submitting a new form. Keep in mind that each state has its own forms and procedures. As well eligibilty and the amount that you qualify for may be different.
Among the documents that you will want to have when submitting the SNAP benefits application in your new state is the letter from the previous state showing that you have canceled receipt of benefits there.
Once all the requirements have been met, you will subsequently receive the new EBT card for SNAP benefits at home, which can be activated and then used in the new state of residence.