Massachusetts EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA)
Updated August 2026
Massachusetts doesn't give its SNAP program a special local name — it's simply called SNAP, and it's run by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). The program helps eligible individuals and families across the Commonwealth afford groceries each month.
Once you're approved, your monthly benefit is loaded onto an EBT card that works like a debit card at supermarkets, convenience stores, and farmers markets that accept SNAP.
How to Check Your Massachusetts EBT Balance
Check online
Log in with your card number to view your balance and transaction history.
https://www.dtaconnect.comUse the mobile app
DTA Connect is the official app for Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts.
Massachusetts operates a SNAP Restaurant Meals Program. Eligible elderly, disabled, or homeless SNAP participants (and their spouses) can use their EBT card to buy prepared meals at participating restaurants statewide.
Massachusetts SNAP Income Limits
Under the standard federal SNAP rule, a household's gross income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level to qualify. Massachusetts raises that bar to 200% of the federal poverty level by using the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) option available to states.
That means many more Massachusetts households, including those with somewhat higher earnings than the federal minimum allows, can qualify for SNAP. BBCE also typically does away with a separate asset limit, so having some savings or a car generally won't stand in the way of eligibility.
| 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 Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
Card skimming, where a hidden device captures a card's number and PIN so a thief can clone it and drain the account, has hit SNAP recipients in states across the country, including Massachusetts. A federal law let states reimburse benefits stolen this way between October 1, 2022, and December 20, 2024, but that authority expired and was not renewed, so reimbursement for newer thefts is no longer guaranteed nationwide.
If you believe your Massachusetts EBT benefits were stolen, call the DTA Stolen Benefits Line at 833-602-9247 as soon as possible, or reach the DTA Assistance Line at 877-382-2363; DTA also runs a separate Fraud Hotline at 800-372-8399 for reporting suspicious activity by others. Change your PIN immediately if you suspect a problem, avoid easy-to-guess PINs, and check your DTA Connect account regularly so you catch unauthorized transactions quickly.
Massachusetts-Specific EBT Information
Massachusetts SNAP recipients have access to the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which puts money back onto a household's EBT card, dollar for dollar up to a monthly cap, when they buy fruits and vegetables from participating HIP farmers, farm stands, farmers markets, and mobile markets. It's a distinctive added benefit that goes beyond the standard SNAP allotment available in most states.