New Jersey EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DFD)
Updated August 2026
New Jersey calls its food assistance program NJ SNAP, and it's administered by the Division of Family Development within the state's Department of Human Services. Once you're approved, monthly benefits are loaded directly onto an EBT card, which works at grocery stores and other authorized retailers just like a debit card.
How to Check Your New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey.
New Jersey SNAP Income Limits
The federal SNAP gross income limit is normally 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, but New Jersey's Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) policy raises that limit to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level.
This means a wider range of New Jersey households, including many working families, can qualify for SNAP than the strict federal minimum would permit. As with most BBCE states, New Jersey also generally does not apply a separate asset test, so a household's savings or the value of a car typically won't count against their eligibility.
| Household Size | Max Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,461 |
| 2 | $3,336 |
| 3 | $4,212 |
| 4 | $5,088 |
| 5 | $5,963 |
| 6 | $6,839 |
| 7 | $7,715 |
| 8 | $8,590 |
For each additional household member beyond 8, add about $876/month. Based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines at 185% — figures update annually and individual eligibility depends on more than gross income, so confirm your exact amount with New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development (DFD).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
EBT card skimming and cloning, where scammers steal a card's stripe data and PIN to create a duplicate, has affected SNAP households across the country. Federal law required states to reimburse benefits stolen this way between October 2022 and December 20, 2024, but Congress allowed that reimbursement authority to expire and has not renewed it since, meaning stolen benefits are no longer automatically replaced with federal funds.
If you suspect fraud on your New Jersey EBT card, call the EBT Customer Service line at 1-800-997-3333 right away to report it and request a new card and PIN. To reduce your risk, never give out your PIN, change it from time to time, check your balance frequently so unauthorized charges don't go unnoticed, and ask whether a chip-enabled card is available in your area.
New Jersey-Specific EBT Information
New Jersey does not currently operate a SNAP Restaurant Meals Program, the federal option that lets elderly, disabled, or homeless recipients use their EBT benefits at approved restaurants instead of grocery stores. State lawmakers introduced legislation in the 2026 legislative session to establish one in New Jersey, following other states that already offer it, but as of now it has not been enacted.