South Carolina EBT Card Balance
Program: SNAP · Administered by South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS)
Updated September 2026
In South Carolina, food assistance is delivered through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), administered by the Department of Social Services, without any special state branding for the program. Approved households receive their monthly benefits on an EBT card that works at grocery stores and many farmers markets statewide.
In April 2026, South Carolina DSS rolled out a significant fraud-prevention change: every SC EBT card is now automatically placed in a Block High Risk Transactions status, meaning out-of-state and online purchases are blocked by default. Cardholders who need to make an online or out-of-state purchase can temporarily unlock their card through the ConnectEBT app or portal, and even set it to automatically re-lock after 30, 60, or 90 minutes, a proactive step most states haven't taken.
How to Check Your South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina.
South Carolina SNAP Income Limits
South Carolina keeps its SNAP gross income limit right at the standard federal baseline of 130% of the Federal Poverty Level rather than raising it further. However, the state still uses a form of Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) that removes the asset test for most applicants, meaning a household's modest savings or vehicle generally won't disqualify them, even though the income cutoff itself isn't higher than the federal standard.
| Household Size | Max Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 |
| 2 | $2,344 |
| 3 | $2,960 |
| 4 | $3,575 |
| 5 | $4,190 |
| 6 | $4,806 |
| 7 | $5,421 |
| 8 | $6,036 |
For each additional household member beyond 8, add about $615/month. Based on 2026 federal poverty guidelines at 130% — figures update annually and individual eligibility depends on more than gross income, so confirm your exact amount with South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS).
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration — SNAP Eligibility
EBT Fraud & Card Skimming Protection
Protect your benefits from theft
South Carolina has seen a sharp rise in EBT card skimming, and the federal program that let states use federal funds to reimburse victims expired December 20, 2024 without being renewed. A bill — the South Carolina EBT Fraud Reimbursement and Economic Protection Act (H.4401), introduced in April 2025 — would create a dedicated state fund to reimburse SNAP recipients for stolen benefits, but as of this writing it remains in the House Ways and Means Committee and has not been enacted, so South Carolina does not yet have a guaranteed state-funded reimbursement program.
If your South Carolina EBT card benefits are stolen, contact the SC Department of Social Services to report it and request a replacement card, and take standard security steps: change your PIN, monitor your balance, and watch for skimming devices at the checkout terminal.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration — SNAP Fraud Prevention
Using Your South Carolina EBT Card Out of State or Online
Traveling or shopping online?
Effective April 28, 2026, South Carolina automatically places every EBT card into a "Block High Risk Transactions" status that stops purchases outside South Carolina and online — in-state purchases still work normally. DSS provides an online unlocking process (detailed in its published client guide) for recipients who need to lift the block, for example before traveling or shopping online.