Texas EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
Updated August 2026
Texas calls its SNAP benefits card the Lone Star Card, though the underlying program is the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Each month, approved households see their benefits deposited directly onto that card. With more than 3 million Texans relying on SNAP each month, the largest caseload of any state, checking your Lone Star Card balance regularly is an easy habit that helps your household budget go further at the grocery store.
How to Check Your Texas EBT Balance
Check online
Log in with your card number to view your balance and transaction history.
https://www.yourtexasbenefits.comUse the mobile app
Your Texas Benefits is the official app for Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas.
Texas SNAP Income Limits
The standard federal SNAP gross income limit is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level, but Texas uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) to raise that threshold to 165% of the Federal Poverty Level.
This higher limit lets more working Texas households qualify for food assistance than the federal minimum would allow on its own, and it generally comes without the standard federal asset test, so modest savings or a family vehicle typically won't disqualify an otherwise eligible household.
| Household Size | Max Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,195 |
| 2 | $2,975 |
| 3 | $3,757 |
| 4 | $4,538 |
| 5 | $5,318 |
| 6 | $6,100 |
| 7 | $6,881 |
| 8 | $7,661 |
For each additional household member beyond 8, add about $781/month. Based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines at 165% — figures update annually and individual eligibility depends on more than gross income, so confirm your exact amount with Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
EBT skimming, in which criminals hide a card-reading device on a store's payment terminal to capture a cardholder's account number and PIN, was first reported to the HHSC Office of Inspector General back in February 2022, and cases have grown steadily since. A temporary federal law let Texas reimburse SNAP households for stolen benefits, but only for theft occurring between October 1, 2022, and December 20, 2024; any SNAP benefits skimmed on or after December 21, 2024, cannot be replaced with federal funds, and Congress has not restored that authority as of 2026.
If your Lone Star Card is compromised, call the Lone Star Help Desk at 800-777-7328 right away to cancel your PIN and card, and report fraud to the HHSC Office of Inspector General at ReportTexasFraud.com or 800-436-6184. A replacement card typically arrives within seven days. To protect your benefits, never share your PIN, check your balance often through the Your Texas Benefits app, and block out-of-state or online transactions when you aren't using your card.
Texas-Specific EBT Information
Starting April 1, 2026, Texas began restricting what Lone Star Card benefits can buy: candy, most sodas, and other drinks with added sugar or artificial sweeteners are no longer SNAP-eligible purchases under a USDA-approved waiver. Beverages with more than 50% real fruit or vegetable juice, milk-based drinks, and drinks with certain natural sweeteners are still allowed. It's one of a growing number of states now restricting these purchases, and Texas is among those where the change is currently in effect.