Understanding Your EBT Reset Schedule: When Does Your Card Reload Each Month

If you rely on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, knowing exactly when your EBT card resets each month is crucial for budgeting and meal planning. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides monthly funding to help eligible families purchase groceries and food items. However, the timing of these deposits varies significantly depending on where you live. Understanding your state’s specific EBT reset schedule helps you avoid unnecessary stress and plan your shopping strategically throughout the month.

Why Your EBT Payment Date Matters

Many SNAP recipients assume their benefits arrive on the same day every month across the country, but that’s not how the system works. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) funds post on different dates in different states, which means your neighbor in the next state might receive their benefits a week before or after you do. This variation isn’t random—it’s a deliberate system designed by individual states to distribute payment processing evenly throughout the month.

Understanding when your specific card resets prevents you from overdrawing or running out of food mid-month. If you know your benefits arrive on the 15th, you can plan to purchase staple items then rather than spending everything early and running short. Additionally, knowing your payment date helps you coordinate with other bills and income sources for better household cash flow management.

How Your EBT Reload Date Is Determined

The date your EBT card resets each month typically depends on one of several personal identifiers. Rather than processing all payments simultaneously, most states use a staggered system based on factors like the last digit of your Social Security number, your case number, the first letter of your last name, or your birth date. This distribution method prevents the entire system from being overwhelmed on a single day.

For example, if your state uses Social Security numbers to determine payment timing, the last digit of your SSN might put you in the group that receives benefits on the 8th of the month. Another recipient with a different last digit could receive theirs on the 12th. Similarly, if your state uses last names, all individuals whose last names begin with A through D might receive payments on the 1st, while E through H receive theirs on the 5th, and so on.

The most straightforward way to discover your exact EBT reset date is to visit your state’s official SNAP or benefits website. Most states have an “EBT in My State” section where you can enter your information or find a chart showing the payment schedule. You can also contact your state’s SNAP office directly for immediate confirmation of your specific payment date.

Complete State-by-State EBT Payment Timeline for 2026

Here’s the breakdown of when EBT benefits reset in all 50 states, plus U.S. territories and Washington, D.C.:

Alabama: EBT resets between the 4th and 23rd based on your case number

Alaska: Resets on the first day of every month

Arizona: Benefits arrive between the 1st and 13th, determined by the first letter of your last name

Arkansas: EBT resets between the 4th and 13th based on your Social Security number’s last digit

California: Cards reload during the first 10 days of the month, depending on the last digit of your case number

Colorado: Resets between the 1st and 10th based on your Social Security number’s last digit

Connecticut: Benefits post from the 1st to 3rd, with timing based on your last name’s first letter

Delaware: Resets over 23 days starting the 2nd of the month, determined by your last name’s first letter

Florida: EBT reloads between the 1st and 28th based on digits 9 and 8 of your case number

Georgia: Resets between the 5th and 23rd based on the last two digits of your ID number

Guam: Benefits reset between the 1st and 10th of the month

Hawaii: EBT resets on the 3rd or 5th, depending on your last name’s first letter

Idaho: Cards reload during the first 10 days based on the last number of your birth year

Illinois: Resets between the 1st and 20th based on case type and case name combination

Indiana: EBT resets from the 5th to 23rd based on your last name’s first letter

Iowa: Benefits post during the first 10 days, determined by your last name’s first letter

Kansas: Cards reload during the first 10 days based on your last name’s first letter

Kentucky: EBT resets during the first 19 days based on your Social Security number’s last digit

Louisiana: Benefits arrive between the 1st and 14th based on your Social Security number’s last digit

Maine: Resets from the 10th to 14th based on your birthday’s last digit

Maryland: EBT resets from the 4th to 23rd determined by your last name’s first letter

Massachusetts: Benefits post during the first 14 days based on your Social Security number’s last digit

Michigan: Cards reload from the 3rd to 21st based on the last two digits of your ID number

Minnesota: EBT resets from the 4th to 13th based on your case number’s last digit

Mississippi: Resets from the 4th to 21st determined by the last two digits of your case number

Missouri: Benefits arrive between the 1st and 22nd based on your birth month and last name

Montana: EBT resets between the 2nd and 6th based on your case number’s last digit

Nebraska: Cards reload from the 1st to 5th based on your head of household’s Social Security number’s last digit

Nevada: Benefits post during the first 10 days based on the last number of your birth year

New Hampshire: EBT resets on the fifth of every month

New Jersey: Benefits arrive during the first 5 calendar days based on digit 7 of your case number

New Mexico: EBT resets during the first 20 days based on your Social Security number’s last two digits

New York: Cards reload between the 1st and 9th based on your case number’s last digit (except New York City, where benefits post over 13 non-holiday weekdays)

North Carolina: Resets from the 3rd to 21st based on your Social Security number’s last digit

North Dakota: EBT resets on the first day of every month

Ohio: Benefits post from the 2nd to 20th based on your case number’s last digit

Oklahoma: Cards reload from the 1st to 10th based on your case number’s last digit

Oregon: EBT resets from the 1st to 9th determined by your Social Security number’s last digit

Pennsylvania: Benefits arrive during the first 10 business days based on your case record number’s last digit

Puerto Rico: Resets between the 4th and 22nd based on your Social Security number’s last digit

Rhode Island: EBT resets on the first day of every month

South Carolina: Cards reload from the 1st to 19th based on your case number’s last digit

South Dakota: Benefits post on the 10th of every month

Tennessee: EBT resets from the 1st to 20th based on your Social Security number’s last two digits

Texas: Benefits arrive during the first 15 days based on your Eligibility Determination Group (EDG) number’s last digit

Utah: Cards reload on the 5th, 11th, or 15th based on your last name’s first letter

Vermont: EBT resets on the first day of every month

Virginia: Benefits post from the 1st to 9th based on your case number’s last digit

Washington: Resets staggered throughout the month according to your application date and approval date

Washington, D.C.: EBT resets from the 1st to 10th based on your last name’s first letter

West Virginia: Benefits arrive during the first nine days determined by your last name’s first letter

Wisconsin: Cards reload during the first 15 days based on digit 8 of your Social Security number

Wyoming: EBT resets from the 1st to 4th determined by your last name’s first letter

Where You Can Use Your EBT Card

Once your EBT card resets and funds post, you can use the card at any SNAP-authorized retailer. This includes most major supermarkets, many farmers markets, select convenience stores, and large retailers like Walmart and Target. Your EBT benefits cover a wide range of food items including fresh produce, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, breads, cereals, and frozen foods. Most major online grocery services also accept EBT payments, making it possible to shop from home and arrange delivery or pickup.

Tips for Managing Your EBT Benefits Throughout the Month

Knowing your exact EBT reset date opens up opportunities for smarter shopping and meal planning. Consider purchasing shelf-stable items and frozen foods right after your benefits post, since these store longer than fresh produce. Plan your fresh produce purchases strategically closer to mid-month to ensure items stay fresh through the month’s end. If your state allows online ordering, compare prices across retailers since they sometimes offer different deals.

Track your remaining balance regularly through your state’s website or the customer service number on the back of your card. This prevents the frustration of an unexpected denial at checkout. If you notice unusual activity or believe there’s an error in when your EBT card resets, contact your state’s SNAP office immediately—processing delays or system errors can sometimes affect payment timing, and your state can help resolve these issues quickly.