New York EBT Card Balance
CheckEBTCardBalance is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the USDA, any state government, or any EBT card issuer. Always confirm details directly with the official source before relying on them.
Program Name
SNAP
Customer Service
1-888-328-6399
24/7, toll-free
Income Limit
200% of FPL
Gross monthly income
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.
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.
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.
Card declined, locked, or PIN not working? See our EBT card troubleshooting guide.
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, Amazon, DoorDash, and Uber Eats, 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.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration — Restaurant Meals Program
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).
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration — SNAP Eligibility
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
New York is a notable case: after the original federal reimbursement law lapsed, the state kept reimbursing SNAP theft victims using its own funds for a while — paying out an estimated $51.8 million between August 2023 and June 2025 — but that state-funded bridge program also ended, with New York confirming it would stop issuing SNAP replacements as of September 30, 2025. Reported losses have kept climbing since (one analysis found more than $14 million stolen from New Yorkers after the reimbursement program ended), and state lawmakers and advocates are actively pushing new fixes, including a mandate to roll out chip-enabled EBT cards, but as of now there's no active SNAP theft reimbursement program. (Cash assistance stolen electronically can still be replaced under separate state rules — only the SNAP food-benefit reimbursement has stopped.)
If your SNAP benefits are stolen, report it to your local district and OTDA right away to cancel your card and change your PIN — even though reimbursement isn't currently available, reporting still matters for your records and for tracking the scope of the problem.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration — SNAP Fraud Prevention
Using Your New York EBT Card Out of State or Online
Traveling or shopping online?
New York has not rolled out an automatic default block on out-of-state or online EBT transactions. The state's current anti-fraud focus is instead on replacing magnetic-stripe cards with chip-and-tap EBT cards starting in early 2027; in the meantime your card should work normally for approved out-of-state and online SNAP purchases.
Compare Other States
EBT rules, income limits, and customer service numbers are set state by state. These share New York's census region — useful if you're moving, or comparing how another state runs the program.
Helpful Guides
EBT Stores
Find SNAP-authorized stores near you by ZIP code or current location.
Learn more →Where to Use EBT
See whether a specific retailer, from Costco to McDonald's, accepts EBT.
Learn more →What Can You Buy
What your EBT card does and doesn't cover, including hot food and online orders.
Learn more →Lost/Damaged Card
How to report a lost or stolen card, or replace a damaged or expired one.
Learn more →Card Not Working?
Troubleshoot a declined, locked, or frozen EBT card, a forgotten PIN, or a deposit that hasn't shown up yet.
Learn more →Work Requirements
What changed for SNAP work requirements and recertification under the 2025 law.
Learn more →Farmers Markets
How EBT tokens work at farmers markets, plus programs that double what you spend.
Learn more →