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Intro
Minnesota offers benefits loaded on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which looks and works like a debit card. The card can be used at point-of-sale machines for cash or food purchases, or at ATMs for cash only.
Services/Topics
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Eligibility
Eligibility
Food and cash program eligibility is determined by Minnesota county or Tribal Nation human service agencies.
Benefits
Benefits
Food and cash benefits are loaded monthly into EBT card accounts.
Resources
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More Information
EBT online portal and mobile app
Use the free ebtEDGE mobile app (available In Apple App Store and Google Play Store) or www.ebtedge.com online portal to see benefit balances, stores and ATM locations that accept EBT, benefit issuance schedules, freeze your card and block online and out of state transactions. You will need to enter your EBT card number and PIN to access your account information.
If you have questions or need help with your EBT card, call ebtEDGE customer service at 888-997-2227.
Protect your EBT card
EBT card benefit theft is on the rise in Minnesota and across the United States. Protect your benefits by keeping your PIN private, changing your PIN often and never giving an EBT card number or PIN information over phone or text.
The Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families will never ask for PIN or EBT card numbers by text.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I protect my card and account?
Clients are responsible for their EBT card, Personal Identification Number (PIN) and the use of their benefits. Clients should keep their PIN private. Read the How to Use Your Minnesota EBT Card (English version)(Spanish version)for a guide on selecting a strong PIN.
Here are some tips to help keep benefits safe:
- Keep the PIN a secret
- Change the PIN often
- Change the PIN when getting a new card, or before or after a monthly deposit
- Do not re-use previous PINs
- Do not keep a large balance in the EBT account
- Do not let anyone (even the store clerk) see the PIN when it is entered it at the POS machine or ATM
- Do not give the PIN information to anyone.
- Do not write the PIN on the EBT card.
- Temporarily freeze the EBT account, block out-of-state transactions and block online transactions at www.ebtedge.com or on the ebtEDGE mobile app
- Clients can change their PIN by calling the ebtEDGE Customer Service line at 888-997-2227, using the ebtEDGE mobile app (available on Google Play and Apple App Stores), or online at www.ebtedge.com
- An optional password can be added to an ebtEDGE account at any time for additional security. To request this, contact a county or Tribal Nation eligibility worker.
What if my EBT card was lost or stolen?
Call ebtEDGE Customer Service at 888-997-2227 immediately to request a new card. It will take about 5-7 business days to get the new card in the mail. There is a $2 charge for all replacement EBT cards. The $2 card replacement fee will be deducted from your cash or food benefits.
Can stolen benefits be replaced?
Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) now allows Minnesota to replace stolen food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) due to EBT card digital fraud/theft, such as card skimming, card cloning and phone call or text message phishing scams.
Households may be eligible for a replacement of stolen food benefits when the EBT card theft is reported within 30 business days from discovery of benefits stolen. Stolen food benefits are eligible for replacement if the theft occurred from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2024.
To report and request a replacement of stolen food benefits, clients should contact their county or Tribal Nation eligibility worker.
What is a PIN?
A PIN is four secret numbers you use with your card to access benefits. Every time you use your card, you must enter these four secret numbers. To help prevent fraud you are not able to select a “common” PIN. Common PINs include: 0000, 0001, 0002, 0003, 1111, 1212, 1234, 2345, 4567, 5678, 5555, 6666, 7777, 8888.
When selecting a PIN, choose four numbers that are memorable but that other people can’t easily guess.
How do I set or change my PIN?
- Call ebtEDGE customer service at 888-997-2227 and use the automated system to set or change the PIN
- Visit your county or Tribal Nation human services office
- Visit the ebtEDGE cardholder portal at www.ebtedge.com
- Access the ebtEDGE mobile application, available for IOS and Android, at www.fisglobal.com/ebtedgemobile. Cardholders have four tries each day to enter the correct PIN. After four incorrect tries, cardholders can’t use the card until 12:01 a.m. the next day.
Where can I use my EBT card?
EBT cards can be used at most grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers markets,ATMs, direct marketing farmers, cash checking businesses and certain online retailers. Find a list of eligible stores using the retail locator on the Food and Nutrition Services website.
Food benefits may be used nationwide. Access to cash benefits is limited to Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Point-of-sale (POS) machine
A POS machine is a machine in a store or farmer’s market that reads EBT cards at time of purchase or when withdrawing cash benefits. POS machines can be used to:
- Purchase food with food or cash benefits. There is no minimum dollar amount per transaction or maximum limit on the number of transactions allowed. Transaction fees can’t be added to your purchase of food items with an EBT card.
- Purchase non-food items with cash benefits
- Withdraw cash from cash benefits
- Get cash back with a purchase from cash benefits.
Some stores may limit the amount of cash back from your cash benefits.
Online
Only EBT food benefits can be used online. Find a list of online retailers that accept EBT at fns.usda.gov/snap/online-purchasing-pilot.
A separate payment type is required to purchase items that are not eligible for SNAP and to pay any delivery costs. EBT cash benefits can’t be used as the separate payment type.
Automated teller machine (ATM)
Cash benefits can be withdrawn from an ATM. ATMs cannot be used to get cash from a food account.
Check cashing businesses
Some businesses that cash checks may allow cash withdrawals.
What can I buy with SNAP benefits?
Visit the What can SNAP buy? webpage on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website to find out which foods are approved.
When will I get my benefits?
Benefits are available on the same day every month, even on weekends or holidays.
Cash benefits
| Case Type | If your case number ends in | Your cash benefits will be available after 6 a.m. on the |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Family Investment Program or Diversionary Work Program | 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 | second to last day of the month |
| Minnesota Family Investment Program or Diversionary Work Program | 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 | last day of the month |
| General Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid or Refugee Cash Assistance | 0 through 9 | first day of the month |
Food benefits
| If your case number ends in | Your food benefits will be available after 12:01 a.m. on the |
|---|---|
| 4 | 4th of every month |
| 5 | 5th of every month |
| 6 | 6th of every month |
| 7 | 7th of every month |
| 8 | 8th of every month |
| 9 | 9th of every month |
| 0 | 10th of every month |
| 1 | 11th of every month |
| 2 | 12th of every month |
| 3 | 13th of every month |
How do I find my EBT balance?
When you use your card, your receipt shows how much you have left in your food and/or cash benefit accounts.
- The store’s name and location should appear on your receipt when you use your food and/or cash benefits.
- You may also find your balance by calling ebtEDGE customer service, accessing the ebtEDGE cardholder portal or mobile application or registering for text message notifications.
- You may also request a transaction history at your local county or Tribal Nation office.
Do benefits expire?
- Food benefits not used within 274 days will be removed from your account and can’t be replaced.
- Cash benefits not used within 90 days will be removed from your account and can’t be replaced after 365 days,
Do I have to pay transaction fees?
You will get four free cash withdrawal transactions per month. These cash withdrawals may be at a POS machine or an ATM. You will be charged $1 for each additional cash withdrawal, up to a maximum of $10. A cash-only withdrawal is for an amount up to the balance remaining in your cash account. There is no charge for a cash buy transaction or if you get cash back when you make a purchase.
What if I need someone to shop for me?
Choose an adult you trust to help with shopping and accessing your food benefits. This person can be from your household or from outside of your household.
- Tell your eligibility worker whom you chose as your additional adult.
- The additional adult will get an EBT card in the mail.
- If the adult is a member of your household, they can call customer service, visit www.ebtedge.com or use the ebtedge mobile app. Once the card for the additional adult is received in the mail, a PIN can be set by calling ebtEDGE customer service at 888-997-2227.
- If the additional adult is not a member of your household, they can go into the local county or Tribal Nation office or contact EBT customer service to select their PIN. If they are unable to select a PIN through EBT customer service, contact your worker, the worker will send a request to the state to update information so the additional adult can select a PIN.
- If you later want to stop the additional adult’s access to your SNAP benefits, contact EBT customer service, then notify your eligibilityworker.
For more information, call your eligibility worker.
What is Minnesota doing to protect from EBT theft?
- Minnesota’s EBT vendor blocks common PINs such as 1-2-3-4.
- Minnesota EBT cards include a three-digit security code separate from the EBT card number.
- Minnesota EBT cardholders are required to enter additional authentication to access account information when calling the EBT Call Center for inquiries on accounts.
