/ Benefit Programs / Food Assistance / Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) / SNAP Policy & Procedures
This page discusses selected items that affect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility. Please view the SNAP Manual for additional information.
The following is general information about SNAP intended for potential applicants and participants, or the general public (such as students or media). Please direct questions to your Local Department of Social Services.
A spouse, adult member of your household, trusted friend, relative or neighbor can be a designated representative. This person may:
If you want to designate an authorized representative, you may do so on your application or by writing a note for that person to take to the local social services department. The note will need to include:
Age exemptions have changed. If a customer is 64 or under, they are required to meet SNAP work requirements, unless otherwise exempt. The dependent child exemption has changed, too. If a customer has a dependent child age 14 or older, they are required to meet SNAP work requirements, unless otherwise exempt. Local departments of social services can no longer receive work requirement exemptions based on the availability of jobs in the area.
If a customer is impacted by this change, they should have received the SNAP Work Requirement Consolidated Information Notice by mail. This notice:
Effective November 1, 2025, the following work requirement exemptions for able-bodied adults without dependents are no longer available:
You may select any adult member as the head of your household. If you select either an adult parent of a child of any age, or an adult who acts as a guardian for a child under age 18, all the adults in the household must agree with your choice for head of household or the agency will choose the head of your household.
If you select any other adult or you do not select a head of household, and someone in your household does not cooperate with an employment and training program, reduces the hours worked or quits a job without good cause, the agency will choose the head of household to be the person who earned the most money from working during the previous two months.
If the person selected as head of household does not cooperate as required with an employment program, reduces the hours worked or quits a job without good cause, your household may not be able to get SNAP for up to six months.
يمكنك اختيار رب الأسرة في كل مرة تتقدم فيها بطلب للحصول على برنامج SNAP. إذا كانت هناك مجموعة من الوالدين والطفل، فيمكنك تغيير اختيارك كلما انضم شخص ما إلى أسرتك أو غادرها، أو إذا كان هناك مجموعة من الوالدين والطفل. أخبر أخصائي برامج المزايا إذا كنت ترغب في تغيير اختيارك.
يجب عليك عدم إعطاء معلومات خاطئة أو إخفاء معلومات للحصول على SNAP. يجب ألا تتاجر ببطاقة EBT أو تبيعها أو رقم التعريف الشخصي الخاص بك. يجب عليك عدم السماح لمتاجر التجزئة بالخصم من حسابك في برنامج EBT مقابل الحصول على أموال نقدية. يجب عدم تغيير بطاقات EBT للحصول على برنامج SNAP الذي لا يحق لك الحصول عليه. يجب ألا تستخدم برنامج SNAP لشراء سلع غير غذائية، مثل الكحول أو التبغ أو المنتجات الورقية. يجب عليك عدم استخدام بطاقة SNAP أو بطاقة EBT الخاصة بشخص آخر لأسرتك.
Anyone intentionally breaking any of these rules could be:
أي شخص يتعمد إعطاء معلومات كاذبة أو يخفي معلومات عن هويته أو محل إقامته للحصول على برنامج SNAP في أكثر من أسرة في نفس الوقت يمكن أن يُمنع لمدة عشر سنوات.
Anyone convicted of trading SNAP for a controlled substance could be barred from receiving SNAP for 24 months (1st violation) and barred permanently (2nd violation).
Anyone convicted of trading SNAP for firearms, ammunition or explosives could be barred permanently (1st violation).
أي شخص تتم إدانته بتداول أو بيع SNAP بقيمة500 دولار أمريكي أو أكثر يمكن أن يُمنع نهائيًا.
For additional information on program rules, federal regulations, income limits and retailer information, visit the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website.