William Lipovsky
Knowing when you’ll receive your EBT benefits can help you organize your grocery budget, meal plans, and monthly bills.
Both food assistance and cash benefits will usually appear on your EBT card between midnight and 9 a.m. on the deposit date, but the timing varies by state.
Your deposit date will also vary depending on your state’s EBT issuance schedule.
Most states base your deposit date on your case number or last name;[1][2][3][4] for example, case numbers ending in “1” might receive benefits on the fifth of each month.
We list the deposit time for each state, plus how to confirm your deposit date below.
EBT Card Deposit Times by State
We viewed each state’s EBT program documentation and contacted EBT customer service to compile the deposit times detailed in the table below.
Your exact deposit time may vary within these guidelines. (For instance, if the state issues benefits after 6 a.m., you might receive yours at 8:45 a.m. or 9:30 a.m.)
Within the table, you can select each state name to view the issuance schedule and confirm your date of deposit.
| State | Deposit Time |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Around 12 a.m. |
| Alaska | By 6 a.m. |
| Arizona | By 5 a.m. |
| Arkansas | Around 12 a.m. |
| California | Around 12 a.m. |
| Colorado | Around 12 a.m. |
| Connecticut | Around 12 a.m. |
| Delaware | By 6 a.m. |
| District of Columbia | Around 12 a.m. |
| Florida | By 6 a.m. |
| Georgia | By 6 a.m. |
| Hawaii | Around 12 a.m. |
| Idaho | Around 12 a.m. |
| Illinois | By 3 a.m. |
| Indiana | By 6 a.m. |
| Iowa | Around 12 a.m. |
| Kansas | By 6 a.m. |
| Kentucky | By 5 a.m. |
| Louisiana | By 5 a.m. |
| Maine | Around 12 a.m. |
| Maryland | Around 12 a.m. |
| Massachusetts | By 11 a.m. |
| Michigan | Around 12 a.m. |
| Minnesota | After 6 a.m. |
| Mississippi | Around 12 a.m. |
| Missouri | Around 12 a.m. |
| Montana | At 12:01 a.m. |
| Nebraska | By 8 a.m. |
| Nevada | By 7 a.m. |
| New Hampshire | At 6 a.m. |
| New Jersey | Around 12 a.m. |
| New Mexico | Around 12 a.m. |
| New York | Around 12 a.m. |
| North Carolina | After 6 a.m. |
| North Dakota | Around 12 a.m. |
| Ohio | Around 12 a.m. |
| Oklahoma | Around 12 a.m. |
| Oregon | After 8 a.m. |
| Pennsylvania | By 6 a.m. |
| Rhode Island | Beginning at 5 a.m. |
| South Carolina | Around 12 a.m. |
| South Dakota | Around 12 a.m. |
| Tennessee | Around 12 a.m. |
| Texas | Around 12 a.m. |
| Utah | After 6 a.m. |
| Vermont | Around 12 a.m. |
| Virginia | Around 12 a.m. |
| Washington | By 9 a.m. |
| West Virginia | Between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. |
| Wisconsin | Around 12 a.m. |
| Wyoming | Around 12 a.m. |
Note that some states offer the option to receive your benefits through direct deposit rather than on an EBT card.[5][6][7][8]
The disbursement time will usually be the same with either method, but keep in mind that processing times for direct deposits varies by the bank (typically one to three days).[6][9][10]
Troubleshooting
If your EBT deposit doesn’t appear on your card as expected, you’ll need to contact your state’s EBT customer service line.
Benefits agents told me that if you don’t receive your deposit, you should always call the EBT hotline rather than report it through your online account or app.
See my research on lost EBT cards for the list of each state’s EBT contact number.
Using Your Benefits
Once you’ve received your deposit, find out how and where to use your benefits with the lists of SNAP-approved items you can buy with EBT, stores that accept EBT, and food delivery services that take EBT cards.
