New York EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
Updated August 2026
New York's food assistance program is called SNAP and is administered statewide by the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), working alongside local departments of social services. Approved households have their benefits loaded onto an EBT card automatically each month, and the card works like a debit card at grocery stores and other authorized retailers.
How to Check Your New York 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 York 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 York 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 York.
New York 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.
New York SNAP Income Limits
The standard federal SNAP gross income limit is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, but New York applies Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) to raise that ceiling considerably. Most New York households, including many with earned income, can qualify with gross income up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level; a narrower category of non-elderly, non-disabled households without earned income is held to a somewhat lower 150% threshold.
In plain terms, this means significantly more New York families can qualify for SNAP than the bare federal minimum allows, and the state generally does not apply a separate asset or savings test to most applicants.
| 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 New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
EBT skimming, in which criminals steal a card's stripe data and PIN and use it to create a duplicate card, has become a significant problem for SNAP households across the country. Federal law required states to reimburse benefits stolen this way between October 2022 and December 20, 2024, but that authority has since expired without renewal from Congress, so there is no automatic federal guarantee that benefits stolen today will be replaced.
New Yorkers who suspect their card has been compromised should call the EBT Customer Service helpline at 1-888-328-6399 right away to freeze the card, get a new PIN, and request a replacement; New York City residents generally file claims for stolen benefits through the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA). To lower your risk in the first place, never share your PIN, change it occasionally, check your balance regularly, and ask about a chip-enabled card if it's offered in your area.
New York-Specific EBT Information
New York is unusual in that its largest city runs its own semi-independent benefits operation: while OTDA sets statewide policy, New York City's SNAP cases, including claims for electronically stolen benefits, are handled locally through the NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) rather than directly through the state office that serves the rest of New York.