Understanding EBT Card Refill Schedules: When Does Your Benefits Card Get Loaded?

If you receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, one of the first questions you likely have is: when do EBT cards refill each month? The answer depends largely on where you live. While the core purpose of these benefits remains the same—helping low-income households afford groceries—the actual timing of when your Electronic Benefits Transfer card receives its monthly refill varies significantly across states.

How Does the EBT Refill System Work?

The SNAP program operates on a monthly cycle, with all eligible recipients receiving their food assistance benefits once per month through an EBT card—essentially a debit card loaded with your specific benefit amount. However, not everyone receives their refill on the same date. Instead, individual states stagger when EBT cards refill throughout the month, typically between the 1st and 23rd, depending on your state and specific identification factors.

Your refill date is determined by one or more personal identifiers, which vary by state. Common factors used to schedule when your EBT card refills include:

• Last digit of your Social Security number
• First letter of your last name
• Last digit of your case number
• Last digit of your birth year
• Combination of case type and case name

This staggered system means that across the country, SNAP recipients don’t all receive their refills simultaneously. Instead, the load is distributed across the month. In most states, new cases or initial benefit recipients receive their refill between the 1st and 10th of the month, though some states extend this window further.

Finding Out Your Personal EBT Refill Date

Rather than trying to remember complicated scheduling rules, the simplest approach is to check directly with your state’s official SNAP provider. Each state maintains an “EBT in My State” resource where you can enter your information and discover exactly when your benefits will refill. You can locate this by visiting the official SNAP Providers website and selecting your state from the available options.

Your benefit refill will arrive on the same day every month once you know the date. It’s also possible to check by calling your state’s SNAP office directly or looking at previous deposit records on your EBT card statement.

State-by-State EBT Refill Schedule

Every state in the U.S., plus U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, operates its own EBT refill calendar. Understanding your specific state’s schedule is crucial for meal planning and budgeting. Here’s how benefits refill across the nation:

Northeastern States: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont typically refill during the first 5-14 days of each month, primarily based on your last name’s first letter or the last digit of your Social Security number. For example, Connecticut completes all refills by the 3rd of the month, while Maine stretches from the 10th to the 14th.

Mid-Atlantic & Great Lakes: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the District of Columbia generally complete refills within the first 10-20 days. New York City operates on a 13-day schedule (excluding Sundays and holidays), while most other areas finish by the 10th.

Southern States: Southern states show greater variation. Georgia refills between the 5th and 23rd, Tennessee from the 1st to 20th, North Carolina from the 3rd to 21st, and Florida across 28 days (the widest range). Louisiana refills from the 1st to 14th, while Arkansas completes between the 4th and 13th.

Western States: Most western states compact their refill windows into the first 10 days. California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Washington each have their own specific ordering systems. Montana refills between the 2nd and 6th, making it one of the quickest.

Mountain & Plains: Utah stands out with only three possible refill dates (5th, 11th, or 15th), while South Dakota consolidates everything to just the 10th. Wyoming refills during the first 4 days based on last name.

U.S. Territories: Guam refills between the 1st and 10th, while Puerto Rico extends from the 4th to the 22nd.

The exact date within your state’s range depends on your assigned identifier—whether that’s your Social Security number, case number, last name, or birth date. Since these identifiers are assigned at enrollment, your refill date remains consistent month to month.

Making the Most of Your SNAP Benefits

Once your EBT card refills, you can use the balance at any SNAP-authorized retailer. Authorized locations include major supermarket chains, many farmers’ markets, convenience stores, big-box retailers like Walmart and Target, and an expanding selection of online grocery services. Your benefits can purchase a wide variety of food items including fresh produce, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, bread, cereals, and other staple foods.

Planning around your monthly EBT refill date helps you maximize your food budget and ensure consistent access to groceries throughout the month. Since refill dates are predictable once you know your state’s system, you can time your shopping accordingly.

The SNAP program continues to evolve, with more retailers accepting EBT payments online and in-store. Regardless of when your EBT card refills each month, the goal remains constant: ensuring that low-income families have reliable access to nutritious food.

For questions about your specific state’s refill schedule, contact your state’s SNAP office directly or visit the official SNAP provider resource portal where you can look up your personalized refill date based on your location and case details.