To get SNAP benefits, you must apply and you must meet certain requirements, including resource and income limits, which are described on this page. SNAP income and resource limits are updated annually. There are special SNAP rules for households with elderly or disabled members.
The information on this page is for Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
- Am I eligible for SNAP?
- Your household must meet certain requirements to be eligible for SNAP and receive benefits. If we determine that you are eligible to receive SNAP benefits, you will receive benefits back to the date you submitted your application.
- How do I apply for SNAP?
- You can apply for SNAP here.
- Where can I turn in my documents?
- You can drop off your documents (2400 Clermont Center Dr. Batavia, OH 45103 South Entrance), fax (513-732-7216), email (clermontcasebank3@jfs.ohio.gov), scan your documents from any Public Library in Clermont County, or upload your documents online at www.benefits.ohio.gov.
- What is an Authorized Representative?
- If you are unable to come to our agency or do not have access to the internet, you may have another person act as an authorized representative by applying and being interviewed on your behalf. You must designate the authorized representative in writing.
- What happens when I apply for SNAP?
- In most cases, once you submit your application. For SNAP/Cash, once you have submitted your application, you will receive a letter in the mail providing you with a date and time to call in and complete a telephone interview with a caseworker. That appointment will generally be within two weeks of the submission of your application. The application process could take up to 30 days.
- During the 30 days, you will need to complete an eligibility interview and give proof (verification) of the information you provided. The interview is typically completed over the telephone. If you are found eligible, you will receive benefits based on the date you submitted your application.
- You may be eligible to receive SNAP benefits within 7 days of your application date if you meet additional requirements. For example, if your household has less than $100 in liquid resources and $150 in monthly gross income, or if your household’s combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than what you pay each month for rent or mortgage and utilities expenses.
- How do I receive SNAP benefits?
- If you are found eligible, you will receive SNAP benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which works like a debit card. Benefits are automatically loaded into your account each month. You can use your EBT card to buy groceries at authorized food stores and retailers.
- When are SNAP benefits available?
- SNAP benefits are issued and made available based on the last digit of your SNAP case number.
- What can SNAP buy?
- SNAP can buy any food for the household, such as:
- Fruits and vegetables;
- Meat, poultry, and fish;
- Dairy products;
- Breads and cereals;
- Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat
- Households cannot use SNAP benefits to buy:
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
- Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
- Foods that are hot at the point of sale
- Any nonfood items such as:
- Pet foods
- Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
- Hygiene items, cosmetics
- Where can I use SNAP?
- The SNAP Retailer Locator allows anyone to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city and state or zip code. Enter your starting location and select a retailer or map point to get details and directions.
- How long will I receive SNAP?
- If you are found eligible, you will receive a notice that tells you how long you will receive SNAP benefits for; this is called your certification period. Before your certification period ends, you will receive another notice that says you must recertify to continue receiving benefits. We will provide you with information about how to recertify.
- Who is in a SNAP household?
- Everyone who lives together and purchases and prepares meals together is grouped together as one SNAP household.
- Some people who live together, such as spouses and most children under age 22, are included in the same SNAP household, even if they purchase and prepare meals separately.
- If a person is 60 years of age or older and unable to purchase and prepare meals separately because of a permanent disability, the person and the person’s spouse may be a separate SNAP household if the others they live with do not have very much income (no more than 165 percent of the poverty level).
- Normally you are not eligible for SNAP benefits if an institution gives you most of your meals. There are exceptions for elderly persons and disabled persons.
- What are the SNAP income limits?
- In most cases, your household must meet both the gross and net income limits described below or you are not eligible for SNAP and cannot receive benefits.
- Gross income means a household’s total, non-excluded income, before any deductions have been made.
- Net income means gross income minus allowable deductions.
- A household with an elderly or disabled person only has to meet the net income limit.
- If all members of your household are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or in some places other general assistance, your household may be deemed “categorically eligible” for SNAP because you have already been determined eligible for another means-tested program.
- SNAP Income Eligibility Limits – Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025
Household/
Family Size |
200% |
1 |
30,120.00 |
2 |
40,880.00 |
3 |
51,640.00 |
4 |
62,400.00 |
5 |
73,160.00 |
6 |
83,920.00 |
7 |
94,680.00 |
8 |
105,440.00 |
9 |
116,200.00 |
10 |
126,960.00 |
11 |
137,720.00 |
12 |
148,480.00 |
13 |
159,240.00 |
14 |
170,000.00 |
- What deductions are allowed in SNAP?
- The following deductions are allowed for SNAP:
- A 20-percent deduction from earned income.
- A standard deduction of $198 for household sizes of 1 to 3 people (higher for some larger households)
- A dependent care deduction when needed for work, training, or education.
- Medical expenses for elderly or disabled members that are more than $35 for the month if they are not paid by insurance or someone else.
- Legally owed child support payments.
- Excess shelter costs as described below.
- SNAP Excess Shelter Costs Deduction:
- The excess shelter deduction is for shelter costs that are more than half of the household’s income after other deductions.
- Allowable shelter costs include:
- Fuel to heat and cook with.
- Electricity.
- Water.
- The basic fee for one telephone.
- Rent or mortgage payments and interest.
- Taxes on the home.
- How much could I receive in SNAP benefits?
- The total amount of SNAP benefits your household gets each month is called an allotment.
- Because SNAP households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their own resources on food, your allotment is calculated by multiplying your household’s net monthly income by 0.3, and subtracting the result from the maximum monthly allotment for your household size.
- SNAP Maximum Monthly Allotment Based on Household Size:
People in Household |
Maximum Monthly Allotment |
1 |
$291 |
2 |
$535 |
3 |
$766 |
4 |
$973 |
5 |
$1,155 |
6 |
$1,386 |
7 |
$1,532 |
8 |
$1,751 |
Each additional person |
+$219 |
- What are the SNAP work requirements?
- While SNAP is intended to ensure no one in our land of plenty should fear going hungry, its rules also reflect the importance of work and responsibility. SNAP has two sets of work requirements, the general work requirements and the able bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) work requirements.
- If you are age 16 – 59 and able to work, you will probably need to meet the general work requirements to get SNAP benefits.
- In general, people must meet work requirements to be eligible for SNAP. These work requirements include:
- Registering for work;
- Not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing hours;
- Taking a job if offered; and
- Participating in employment and training programs.
- Failure to comply with these requirements can result in disqualification from the program.
- Some special groups may not be subject to these requirements including:
- Children;
- Seniors;
- Veterans;
- Individuals experiencing homelessness;
- Individuals age 24 or younger and in foster care on their 18th birthday;
- Pregnant women; and
- People who are exempt for physical or mental health reasons.
- You are excused from the general work requirements if you are any one of these things:
- Already working at least 30 hours a week (or earning wages at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30 hours);
- Meeting work requirements for another program (TANF or unemployment compensation);
- Taking care of a child under 6 or an incapacitated person;
- Unable to work due to a physical or mental limitation;
- Participating regularly in an alcohol or drug treatment program;
- Studying in school or a training program at least half-time (but college students are subject to other eligibility rules).
- If you have to meet the general work requirements but you don’t, you are disqualified from getting SNAP for at least a month and must start meeting the requirements to get SNAP again. If you get back on SNAP and then don’t meet the requirements again, then you are disqualified for longer than a month and you could be disqualified forever.
- The ABAWD Work Requirement and Time Limit
- If you are age 18–52*, able to work, and don’t have any dependents, you might need to meet both the general work requirements and an additional work requirement for ABAWDs to get SNAP for more than 3 months in 3 years (the time limit).
- You can meet the ABAWD work requirement by doing any one of these things:
- Work at least 80 hours a month. Work can be for pay, for goods or services (for something other than money), unpaid, or as a volunteer;
- Participate in a work program at least 80 hours a month. A work program could be SNAP Employment and Training or another federal, state, or local work program;
- Participate in a combination of work and work program hours for a total of at least 80 hours a month;
- Participate in workfare for the number of hours assigned to you each month (the number of hours will depend on the amount of your SNAP benefit.)
- *Note: Starting Oct. 1, 2024, these rules apply to people age 18-54.
- You are excused from the ABAWD work requirement and time limit if you are any one of these things:
- Unable to work due to a physical or mental limitation;
- Pregnant;
- Have someone under 18 in your SNAP household;
- Excused from the general work requirements (see above);
- A veteran;
- Experiencing homelessness;
- Age 24 or younger and in foster care on your 18th birthday.
- If you have to meet the ABAWD work requirement but you don’t, you will lose your benefits after 3 months. To get SNAP again, you must meet the ABAWD work requirement for a 30-day period or become excused. Otherwise, you need to wait until the end of your 3-year period, when you’ll get another 3 months under the time limit.
- Are students eligible for SNAP?
- Generally, students ages 18 through 49 who are enrolled in college at least half time are not eligible for SNAP unless they meet certain specific exemptions.
- During the COVID-19 public health emergency, a law was passed that made more students temporarily eligible for SNAP. As of July 1, 2023, the temporary student exemptions are no longer available to students applying or recertifying for SNAP.
- You are considered a student if you are enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education. The number of hours considered as half-time enrollment is determined by the institution of higher education.
- If you are enrolled less than half-time, the student restrictions on SNAP eligibility do not apply to you. You may be SNAP-eligible if you meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements.
- If you are a student and you meet SNAP eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for SNAP if you meet one of the following exemptions:
- Are under age 18 or are age 50 or older.
- Have a physical or mental disability.
- Work at least 20 hours a week in paid employment.
- Participate in a state or federally financed work study program.
- Participate in an on-the-job training program.
- Care for a child under the age of 6.
- Care for a child age 6 to 11 and lack the necessary child care enabling you to attend school and work 20 hours a week or participate in work study.
- Are a single parent enrolled full-time in college and taking care of a child under 12.
- Receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance.
- Are assigned to, placed in, or self-placed in a college or other institution of higher education through:
- A SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) program;
- Certain other E&T programs for low-income households, which are operated by a state or local government and have an equivalent component to SNAP E&T;
- A program under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) (PL 113-128);
- A Trade Adjustment Assistance Program under Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974.
- If you receive the majority of your meals through either a mandatory or optional meal plan, you are ineligible for SNAP.
- Are non-citizens eligible for SNAP?
- SNAP eligibility has never been extended to undocumented non-citizens. Specific requirements for non-citizens who may be eligible have changed substantially over the years and become more complicated in certain areas. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 limits eligibility for SNAP benefits to U.S. citizens and certain lawfully present non-citizens.
- Generally, to qualify for SNAP, non-citizens must meet one of the following criteria:
- Have lived in the United States for at least 5 years.
- Be receiving disability-related assistance or benefits.
- Be children under 18.
- Additionally, these individuals must also satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and resource limits in order to qualify for benefits.
- If certain members of a household are ineligible for SNAP, we must still determine eligibility for SNAP for any remaining household members who are seeking assistance.
- What if I disagree with a decision made on my SNAP case?
- If you disagree with a decision in your case, you may request a fair hearing with an official who is required by law to review the facts of your case in a fair and objective manner.
- You must request a fair hearing within 90 days of the day we made the decision in your case that you disagree with.
- You can request a fair hearing over the phone, in writing, or in person at our agency. You can request a state hearing online here. The ODJFS Consumer Access Line telephone number is 1-866-635-3748 and their email is BSH@jfs.ohio.gov.
- Although a fair hearing cannot change the laws or regulations governing SNAP, it can ensure that decisions on your case have been made correctly.