Vermont EBT Card Balance
Program: 3SquaresVT · Administered by Vermont Department for Children and Families (Economic Services Division)
Updated August 2026
Vermont's SNAP program is called 3SquaresVT, and it's administered by the Vermont Department for Children and Families. Eligible households receive their monthly food benefits electronically rather than as paper coupons. Once approved, 3SquaresVT benefits are loaded onto an EBT card on a set day each month, and cardholders use that card like a debit card at grocery stores and many farmers markets across the state.
How to Check Your Vermont EBT Balance
Check online
Log in with your card number to view your balance and transaction history.
https://www.ebtedge.comUse the mobile app
ebtEDGE is the official app for Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont.
Vermont SNAP Income Limits
The federal SNAP gross income limit is normally set at 130% of the Federal Poverty Level. Vermont, however, uses a Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) policy that raises this threshold to 185% of the Federal Poverty Level for 3SquaresVT applicants.
In practical terms, this means more Vermont households with modest incomes can qualify for food assistance than the bare federal minimum would allow, and most applicants are not subject to a separate asset or savings test as part of the eligibility determination.
| 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 Vermont Department for Children and Families (Economic Services Division).
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
EBT card skimming, where criminals use hidden devices on card readers or cloned cards to steal SNAP benefits, has been a persistent nationwide problem. A federal law allowed states to reimburse households for benefits stolen this way, extended more than once, but that authority expired at the end of 2024 and Congress has not renewed it since, so newly stolen benefits generally can no longer be reimbursed with federal funds.
Vermont has responded to skimming by placing geographic blocks on certain out-of-state transaction locations, including California, for 3SquaresVT EBT cards. If you suspect your benefits were stolen or your card was compromised, call the Vermont Economic Services Division at 1-800-479-6151, or the EBT customer service line at 1-800-914-8605. Protect yourself by never sharing your PIN, checking your balance regularly, and asking about a chip-enabled card if one is available to you.
Vermont-Specific EBT Information
One notable feature of Vermont's approach to EBT fraud is its use of targeted geographic restrictions: the state blocks 3SquaresVT card transactions attempted from certain out-of-state locations tied to skimming activity, including California, as an added layer of protection beyond the standard PIN system.