Connecticut EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS)
Updated September 2026
Connecticut doesn't brand its SNAP program with a special name — residents simply know it as SNAP, run by the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). Approved households receive their monthly benefit on an EBT card that works at grocery stores and other authorized retailers around the state.
Because the month's benefit loads all at once, checking your EBT balance before heading to the store is a quick way to know exactly what you have to spend.
In response to a reported 1,800% surge in EBT theft, Connecticut DSS rolled out a card lock/unlock feature and an option to block out-of-state transactions through its app and online portal — giving cardholders a direct, self-service way to shut down unauthorized use between shopping trips, rather than relying only on after-the-fact fraud reports.
How to Check Your Connecticut EBT Balance
Check online
Log in with your card number to view your balance and transaction history.
https://www.connectebt.comUse the mobile app
ConnectEBT is the official app for Connecticut EBT cardholders, available on iOS and Android.
Check your last receipt
Your remaining balance is printed at the bottom of the receipt from your most recent EBT purchase.
Where You Can Use Your Connecticut EBT Card
Your EBT card works like a debit card at any USDA-authorized retailer nationwide — major grocery chains and big-box stores such as Walmart, Target, Kroger, Costco, Sam's Club, Aldi, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and most local and regional supermarkets, plus many convenience stores and farmers markets. A growing number of retailers, including Walmart.com and Amazon, also accept SNAP EBT for online grocery orders in many areas, though delivery and service fees usually can't be paid with benefits.
SNAP benefits cover food and food-producing seeds or plants, but not hot prepared foods, alcohol, tobacco, or non-food items — some states also restrict specific items like soda or candy, noted below if it applies to Connecticut.
Connecticut SNAP Income Limits
Connecticut uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility to raise SNAP's gross income limit to 200% of the federal poverty level, above the standard federal minimum of 130%.
In plain language, that means many more working and moderate-income Connecticut households can qualify for SNAP than the base federal rule alone would allow, typically without a separate asset or savings test standing in their way.
| Household Size | Max Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,660 |
| 2 | $3,607 |
| 3 | $4,553 |
| 4 | $5,500 |
| 5 | $6,447 |
| 6 | $7,393 |
| 7 | $8,340 |
| 8 | $9,287 |
For each additional household member beyond 8, add about $947/month. Based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines at 200% — figures update annually and individual eligibility depends on more than gross income, so confirm your exact amount with Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
Card skimming and cloning has affected Connecticut SNAP households — the state replaced almost $6 million in stolen benefits since 2023 under Congress's temporary federal reimbursement program, which covered theft between October 2022 and December 20, 2024. That federal funding has since dried up, and there is currently no confirmed state-funded program covering theft after that date.
If you believe your benefits have been stolen, change your PIN immediately and contact the Department of Social Services to report the theft and request a replacement card.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service — SNAP Fraud Prevention
Using Your Connecticut EBT Card Out of State or Online
Traveling or shopping online?
Connecticut doesn't automatically block out-of-state or online transactions by default, but you can voluntarily lock and unlock your card, and separately turn a "Block Out-of-State" feature on or off, through the state's EBT security tools. Note that Connecticut's out-of-state block only stops purchases at stores physically outside the state — it does not block online purchases even while it's turned on.