StateEBT

SNAP and EBT, state by state: official logins, phone numbers, income limits and rules

FY2027 limits, in effect from October 1, 2026

Virginia EBT and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Reviewed Income limits for FY2027 (Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027)

Virginia calls the benefit plain SNAP. The Virginia Department of Social Services sets the rules, and your city or county department of social services handles your case1,3. You apply, renew and report changes in CommonHelp2. Two changes mark FY2027 in Virginia: magnetic-stripe EBT cards are being swapped for chip cards between September and December 20265, and from November 1, 2026 SNAP can no longer buy soda, diet soda or other sweetened carbonated drinks14.

Official links and numbers

Apply, renew, check a case or report changesCommonHelpcommonhelp.virginia.gov
Check your balance or lock your card onlineConnectEBT Virginia (Conduent)connectebt.com
Lost or stolen card, PIN, balance (24/7)1-866-281-2448
Apply for SNAP by phone (VDSS SNAP hotline)1-833-522-5582
Find your city or county social services officeVDSS local department finderdss.virginia.gov
Which drinks SNAP stops covering on November 1, 2026VDSS SNAP Healthy pagedss.virginia.gov

StateEBT is an independent guide, not a government website. Applications, logins and balances are handled only on the official sites above, run by Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), with city and county departments of social services and its EBT contractor.

CommonHelp: one login for food, cash, energy and health help

CommonHelp is the Commonwealth's online application for SNAP, TANF cash assistance, energy assistance, child care assistance and health coverage. Choose "Apply for All Benefit Programs" to ask for several at once, or the health-only option if you only want Medicaid2. The same site has buttons to renew benefits, check the status of an application, report changes and find your local office. Those three account tasks open a separate login at commonhelp.dss.virginia.gov2.

For help with the site, call the Enterprise Call Center at 1-855-635-43702. VDSS also lists a SNAP hotline, 1-833-522-5582, for people who want to apply by phone1,3.

CommonHelp

The Virginia EBT card, the chip-card switch and card lock

Check your balance on the ConnectEBT website8, in the free ConnectEBT app, on your last receipt, or by calling 1-866-281-24484. Five wrong PIN entries lock the card for the rest of the day4. VDSS says it talks about EBT accounts only when you call the help desk yourself, so ignore texts or calls asking for your card number or PIN7.

Virginia began mailing chip cards in September 2026. 20 pilot localities, among them Fairfax, Norfolk and Richmond City, went first; every cardholder should have one by December 31, 20265. Tap or insert the new card. The old PIN does not carry over, so you set a new one at activation. The expiration date and three-digit code are needed for online orders and PIN resets. Your old stripe card stops working when you activate the chip card, or 60 days after the chip card is mailed, whichever comes first4,5.

In the ConnectEBT app or website, "Lock My Card Everywhere" blocks purchases while deposits and refunds still post. Each card on the household's account has to be locked on its own6. VDSS's chip-card FAQ says benefits lost to skimming, cloning or other fraud cannot be replaced5. In 2025 VDSS removed the manual chapter on replacing stolen benefits, because federal funding for it ended in December 202413. Report a lost or stolen card at 1-866-281-2448 right away4. A replacement chip card costs $4.99, taken from your balance5, or ask your local department for a "vault" card at the office12.

Virginia SNAP and EBT phone numbers

ForNumberHours
Virginia EBT Customer Service (card, PIN, balance, lock)1-866-281-2448724 hours, 7 days
VDSS SNAP hotline (apply by phone)1-833-522-55823—
Enterprise Call Center (CommonHelp and energy assistance applications)1-855-635-43702—
VDSS Citizen Services Unit (main line)1-804-726-70003Mon-Fri 8:15 a.m.-5 p.m.
TTY/TDD1-800-828-11203—
Virginia Relay7113—
Cover Virginia (Medicaid and FAMIS applications)1-855-242-82822—
Virginia's Insurance Marketplace Consumer Assistance Center1-888-687-150124—

Applying for SNAP in Virginia

  1. Apply in CommonHelp, by phone or on paper. Apply online at CommonHelp or call the SNAP hotline at 1-833-522-55821. The paper Application for Benefits comes in English and Spanish on the VDSS SNAP page; return it to the social services department of the city or county where you live1,12.
  2. Do the interview. Most applicants have an interview with a benefit programs specialist, by phone or at the local office. The office mails a letter with the date and time11. If you miss it, you get a Missed Interview Notice and must reschedule, or the application is denied12.
  3. Send proof of your costs, not just your word. Since VDSS's October 2025 policy change, rent, utility, dependent care and medical costs only count if you show a document such as a rent receipt, landlord letter, utility bill or provider receipt. You get a Verification Checklist and at least 10 days to send it10,13.
  4. Get your card and set a PIN. Your EBT card comes by mail, or you can ask your local department for a card at the office12. Follow the enclosed instructions to activate it and choose a four-digit PIN4,5.

The local department must decide within 30 days of the day you apply, or within 7 days if you qualify for expedited service12. For the interview, bring what you have: proof of identity, pay stubs or benefit letters, a lease or mortgage statement, bank information and utility bills. You can still attend without every document11. Someone you trust can apply and shop for you as an authorized representative; name them on the application or in a signed, dated note11.

Virginia's 200% gross income test for FY2027

Monthly amounts before taxes, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Gross limit: our calculation from the 2026 federal poverty guidelines
Household sizeGross income limit (200%)Net income limit (100%)Maximum benefit
1$2,660$1,330$306
2$3,607$1,804$562
3$4,554$2,277$808
4$5,500$2,750$1,023
5$6,447$3,224$1,217
6$7,394$3,697$1,463
7$8,340$4,170$1,616
8$9,287$4,644$1,841
Each additional person+$947+$474+$225

Gross limit: 200% of the 2026 HHS poverty guideline divided by 12, rounded up. Net limit and maximum benefit: USDA FY2027 cost-of-living adjustments. All states compared.

Virginia gives broad-based categorical eligibility to households at or below 200% of the poverty line, with or without children12. On October 17, 2026 the VDSS SNAP page and manual still showed the FY2026 chart (200% was $2,608 a month for one person), so the table above applies the 200% rule to the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines1,12.

Virginia's utility allowance depends on how many people live in the home: the FY2026 amounts were $375 for 1 to 3 people and $476 for 4 or more, with a $54 telephone standard13. VDSS has not posted FY2027 amounts. Since November 1, 2025, a household gets the utility allowance through an energy assistance payment alone only if it has a member who is 60 or older or disabled13.

Net income test. Households that qualify through broad-based categorical eligibility face only the 200% gross test; their net income sets the benefit amount but is not a pass-fail test12. Households outside it must pass the 130% gross test ($1,729 a month for one person from October 1, 2026) and the 100% net test ($1,330). A household with a member 60 or older or disabled skips the gross test and needs only the net test12.

Assets. There is no asset test for households that qualify through broad-based categorical eligibility, so VDSS workers do not ask for bank proof unless the amount you declare looks questionable12. For other households the manual lists $3,000, or $4,500 with a member 60 or older or disabled12; USDA raised that second figure to $4,750 from October 1, 202626. Any household that wins $4,500 or more in a single lottery or gambling win loses eligibility12.

Deposit days: the 1st, 4th or 7th

Benefits load on the 1st, 4th or 7th of each month, set by the last digit of your case number (not your EBT card number)9.

Last digit of case numberBenefits available
0, 1, 2 or 31st
4 or 54th
6, 7, 8 or 97th

VDSS's schedule notice says benefits post at 12:01 a.m. on that date even when it falls on a weekend or holiday9. The chip-card switch does not change your deposit day5. Unused benefits roll over to the next month. If the card goes nine months with no purchase, older benefits expire, so buy something at least once every nine months4.

Interim reports, renewals and the 200% reporting line

Most households are certified for 12 months and must return an Interim Report by the sixth month. Households where everyone is 60 or older or disabled with no earnings can get up to 24 months, with a report at month 1212. People subject to the work time limit get no more than six months12. The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) gives 36 months with no interim report12. The Virginia Combined Application Project for SSI recipients ended June 1, 2026. Those cases move to ESAP at their next renewal, and benefits are then figured from income and expenses instead of a flat amount1.

VDSS mails a Notice of Expiration before your period ends. Renew through CommonHelp or your local office and complete the renewal interview. File by the 15th of your last month so the office can decide before your benefits end2,12. Between renewals, most households report only three things: income above the 200% line for their household size, a lottery or gambling win of $4,500 or more, or work hours under 20 a week for someone on the time limit. Report within 10 days of the change, and no later than the 10th of the next month12,13. If you move, send proof of your new rent, or your shelter deduction is removed10,13.

Rules specific to Virginia

No soda or other sweetened carbonated drinks from November 1, 2026

USDA approved Virginia's waiver on December 10, 2025 for an April 1, 2026 start15; VDSS's "SNAP Healthy" pages set the start at November 1, 202614. SNAP no longer buys soda, diet or "zero" soda, carbonated energy drinks, or carbonated drinks with 5 grams or more of added sugar per serving. Juice, lemonade, iced tea, sports drinks, milk, unsweetened seltzer, non-carbonated energy drinks and infant formula stay eligible14. The waiver covers every SNAP household in the state, with no opt-out15. Questions: [email protected]14.

Virginia Restaurant Meals Program

SNAP members who are 60 or older, disabled or homeless, and their spouses, can buy hot meals at participating restaurants with the card and PIN, with no separate application or ID16. On October 16, 2026 the VDSS list had 87 restaurants, from Hampton and Newport News to Lynchburg and Pound17. Restaurants cannot charge sales tax or a tip on the SNAP part of the bill16.

Work time limit: ages 18 to 64, no waived areas

Adults without an exemption who do not work or join a work activity 20 hours a week get only three months of SNAP in three years10. Under the July 4, 2025 federal law, Virginia raised the age limit to 64 and ended the exemption for parents whose youngest child is 14 or older. Local departments can no longer get waivers for areas with few jobs10. From November 1, 2025, homeless people, veterans and former foster youth aged 18 to 24 lost their exemptions10, and an exemption for Indigenous people was added13.

Virginia Fresh Match doubles produce spending

At participating farmers markets, mobile markets and community food stores, Virginia Fresh Match doubles SNAP dollars spent on fruits and vegetables. At a market table, spend $10 from your card and get $20 in tokens; vendors cannot give change20.

Virginia SUN Bucks 2026

Virginia paid a one-time $120 per eligible school-age child for summer 2026, starting June 29. Children on SNAP, TANF, income-based Medicaid or approved free or reduced-price meals were enrolled automatically19. SNAP families got the money on their own EBT card; others got a separate Virginia SUN Bucks card. Benefits expire about four months after they are issued19. Applications closed August 31, 2026; later applications count toward 202718.

Other assistance in Virginia

ProgramWhat it covers
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)Monthly cash help for families with a child under 18, plus the VIEW work program; apply through CommonHelp21
Cardinal Care (Medicaid and FAMIS) through Cover VirginiaFree or low-cost health coverage for adults, children and pregnant women; apply through Cover Virginia or CommonHelp23
Virginia's Insurance MarketplaceVirginia's own health insurance exchange for people who do not qualify for Medicaid24
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)Fuel, crisis and cooling help for households at or below 150% of poverty; fuel applications run from the second Tuesday of October to the second Friday of November22
Virginia WICFood, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support for pregnant women, infants and children under 5, run by the Virginia Department of Health25
Virginia SUN BucksSummer grocery benefit of $120 per eligible child; applications after August 31, 2026 count for 202718

Sources

  1. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  2. Welcome to CommonHelp, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  3. Contact Us, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  4. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  5. Chip Cards Are Here (SNAP EBT Chip Card Modernization Initiative and FAQs), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  6. Lock and Unlock Your EBT Card, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  7. Protect Yourself from EBT Scams, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  8. Virginia EBT Login (ConnectEBT cardholder portal), Conduent, for the Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  9. Benefits Availability Schedule (effective September 2017), Virginia Department of Social Services, posted on ConnectEBT. Checked 16 October 2026.
  10. SNAP Requirements FAQs, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  11. SNAP Interview Resources, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  12. SNAP Manual, Volume V (entire manual, effective October 1, 2025), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  13. SNAP Manual Transmittal #36 (September 18, 2025, effective October 1 and November 1, 2025), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  14. SNAP Healthy (Beverage Update), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  15. Virginia SNAP Food Restriction Waiver approval letter and terms (December 10, 2025), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. Checked 16 October 2026.
  16. Virginia Restaurant Meals Program: Frequently Asked Questions, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  17. VRMP Restaurant Locations, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  18. Virginia SUN Bucks, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  19. Virginia Launches SUN Bucks 2026 To Prevent Child Hunger (June 15, 2026), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  20. SNAP and Farmers Markets, Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  21. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  22. Energy Assistance Program (EAP), Virginia Department of Social Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  23. Cover Virginia, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. Checked 16 October 2026.
  24. Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, Virginia Health Benefit Exchange. Checked 16 October 2026.
  25. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Virginia Department of Health. Checked 16 October 2026.
  26. SNAP – Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (memo, August 21, 2026), U.S. Department of Agriculture. Checked 16 October 2026.