Montana EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS)
Updated August 2026
Montana's SNAP program goes by its standard federal name, SNAP, and is administered by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). It provides monthly food assistance to eligible low-income individuals and families across the state.
Once approved, benefits are loaded onto an EBT card each month that works like a debit card at grocery stores and other SNAP-authorized retailers.
How to Check Your Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana.
Montana SNAP Income Limits
The standard federal SNAP gross income limit is 130% of the federal poverty level, but Montana uses the Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) option to raise that threshold to 200% of the federal poverty level.
This allows more Montana households, including many working families with income above the federal baseline, to qualify for food assistance. Under BBCE, Montana generally doesn't apply a separate asset test either, so modest savings or a car usually won't disqualify an otherwise eligible household.
| 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 Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
EBT card skimming, where thieves secretly capture card and PIN information to clone cards and steal benefits, has affected SNAP recipients across the country. Congress let states reimburse benefits stolen this way between October 1, 2022, and December 20, 2024, but that authority expired and was not extended, so reimbursement isn't guaranteed for theft after that date.
If your Montana EBT card is compromised, call the state's EBT help desk hotline at 1-866-850-1556 to report it and request a new card and PIN. DPHHS's Program Integrity unit also investigates suspected fraud. To protect yourself, avoid simple PINs, never share your PIN or card number with anyone, and check your balance and recent transactions often.
Montana-Specific EBT Information
Tribal members living on Montana's reservations have an additional option beyond SNAP: the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), a USDA commodity-food program that households can choose instead of SNAP in areas where grocery access or retail infrastructure makes using an EBT card more difficult.