Food Stamps: Can You Apply For SNAP Benefits Online?

Josephine Nesbit
PixelsEffect / Getty Images
PixelsEffect / Getty Images

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal nutrition assistance program that provides monthly funds to boost the grocery budget of low-income households. Each state has its own application process, and some even allow applicants to apply online.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service administers SNAP at the federal level while states and territories operate the program at the local level, determine eligibility and issue benefits. You must apply for SNAP in the state where you currently live.

You can contact your state agency by visiting your local SNAP office, visiting your state agency’s website or calling your state’s toll-free SNAP Information hotline to learn more about how to apply. Some states have online applications that you can complete on the state agency website.

More states are allowing applicants to apply online to improve efficiencies and reduce application backlogs. Alaska recently rolled out a new online application on the Alaska Division of Public Assistance website, which takes an average of 20 minutes to complete, said Deb Etheridge, the division’s director, the Anchorage Daily News reported. The previous version was a 28-page paper application that often took up to an hour to complete.

Not all states and territories have an online SNAP application, but here are the ones that currently do:

  • Alabama

  • Alaska

  • Arizona

  • Arkansas

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Connecticut

  • Delaware

  • Florida

  • Illinois

  • Indiana

  • Iowa

  • Kansas

  • Kentucky

  • Louisiana

  • Maine

  • Maryland

  • Massachusetts

  • Michigan

  • Minnesota

  • Mississippi

  • Missouri

  • Montana

  • Nebraska

  • Nevada

  • New Hampshire

  • New Jersey

  • New Mexico

  • New York

  • New York City

  • North Carolina

  • North Dakota

  • Ohio

  • Oklahoma

  • Oregon

  • Pennsylvania

  • Rhode Island

  • South Carolina

  • South Dakota

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Utah

  • Vermont

  • Virginia

  • Washington

  • West Virginia

  • Wisconsin

Visit your state’s website or contact your local SNAP office for more information on how to apply.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps: Can You Apply For SNAP Benefits Online?

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