Questions?
Call the Department of Human Services Helpline, toll-free, at 1-800-692-7462 (1-800-451-5886 for individuals with hearing impairments) or your county assistance office.
Are you a college student?
Find out how college students might qualify for SNAP benefits.
Maximum Benefit Amounts
October 1, 2023
| Family Size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Each Additional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum | $291 | $535 | $766 | $973 | $1,155 | $1,386 | $1,532 | $1,751 | Add $219 |
General Information about SNAP
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (AD-3027) found online at the U.S. Department of Agriculture website or at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
- Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
- Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
- Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The following can apply:
- The head of the household
- The spouse of the head of household
- Any other responsible household member
- A designated authorized representative (can be a friend, relative, neighbor, or anyone else the applicant trusts to go food shopping and use their SNAP benefits)
Apply for SNAP
Apply online, over the phone, in person, or by mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
SNAP benefits are placed in an electronic account that only the recipient can use. This system is called electronic benefits transfer, or EBT. The eligible household receives the Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS card, which allows withdrawals for food purchases at grocery stores and supermarkets. The store uses the EBT ACCESS card to electronically subtract purchases from the SNAP account. The eligible household can only spend the amount that is in the account. This is not a credit card.
To get SNAP benefits, your income has to be under certain limits. SNAP households may receive deductions from their gross income for things like housing costs, child or dependent care payments, and medical expenses more than $35 for older adults or people with disabilities. Learn more about eligibility requirements for SNAP.
- The best way to know your balance is to keep your last receipt.
- If you lose your last receipt and need to know your balance, call the recipient hotline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-888-EBT-PENN.
- Go online to view your transaction history, learn more about EBT, and more.
The United States Department of Agriculture provides several resources to help you prepare healthy meals on a budget:
Pennsylvania provides additional information about healthy eating through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed).
The SNAP Recipe Finder helps you create cookbooks and shopping lists. Use it to search for recipes based on total cost or cost per serving.
- Find a nearby food pantry.
- Contact your regional food bank.
- Contact your county assistance office for help finding food resources.
SNAP Quality Control is a process for reviewing SNAP cases. Federal law requires random SNAP cases to be reviewed every month in all states.