West Virginia EBT and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
West Virginia's Department of Human Services runs SNAP through its Bureau for Family Assistance. Benefits go on the Mountain State Card, and you apply and report changes in the WV PATH portal1,2. For FY2027 most households can have gross income up to 200% of the poverty line. Deposits fall on the 1st to 9th of the month by the first letter of your last name1,4. A soda ban began January 1, 2026; DoHS stopped enforcing it on July 10, 2026, after a federal court vacated it5,6.
Official links and numbers
| Apply, report changes or send an interim report | WV PATHwvpath.wv.gov |
|---|---|
| Check your Mountain State Card balance online | ebtEDGE cardholder portal (FIS)ebtedge.com |
| Balance, PIN, lost or stolen card (24 hours) | 1-866-545-6502 |
| Questions about your case or reporting a change | 1-877-716-1212Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m. |
| Card compromised, or help for authorized representatives | 1-304-558-4126 |
StateEBT is an independent guide, not a government website. Applications, logins and balances are handled only on the official sites above, run by West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Family Assistance and its EBT contractor.
WV PATH: screening, applying and reporting
WV PATH is the DoHS site for SNAP and other programs, including Medicaid, WV WORKS and LIEAP1,16,17. "Screen for Assistance" (the blue box, second from left) gives a rough eligibility check with no account. To use "Apply Now" (the green box, bottom right), you must create an account and sign in1.
An application filed on WV PATH counts from the day you submit it, and a worker then schedules your interview4. Use the same account to report changes and, on a 24-month certification, to file the 12-month interim report1,4. Without the portal, you can mail changes to the DoHS Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 1668, Charleston, WV 25326-1668, or fax them to 304-558-18691.
WV PATH (People's Access to Help)
The Mountain State Card and stolen benefits
Your card is mailed the day after approval and arrives in about 7 to 10 business days, in an envelope made to look like junk mail to discourage theft3,4. To activate it, call 1-866-545-6502 or register at ebtEDGE and choose a four-digit PIN. A replacement card keeps your old PIN2. For an ebtEDGE account you need your phone number (it becomes your user name), card number, date of birth and Social Security number13. DoHS calls the FIS ebtEDGE app the only approved app for the card2. More than three wrong PIN tries lock the card for 24 hours, unless you reset the PIN online or in the app3.
Report a lost, stolen or damaged card at 1-866-545-6502. The new card arrives in 7 to 10 business days2. After four or more replacements in 12 months, DoHS sends a warning letter and can block more replacements4.
DoHS does not replace SNAP stolen by skimming, cloning or phishing. In 2026 its manual dropped its skimming, cloning and phishing replacement policy for SNAP. Federal funding to replace stolen SNAP ended December 20, 2024. The only exception is a card stolen before it reached you4. WV WORKS cash is treated differently. Report skimmed cash within 30 days to the Office of EBT Banking Services at 304-558-4126, file a police report and replace the card. You can get back up to two months of benefits, twice per federal fiscal year4. To guard against skimming, change your PIN each month before benefits post, and block out-of-state and online purchases in ebtEDGE12,2. No DoHS card page checked October 17, 2026 mentions a chip card2,3.
- Card customer service: 1-866-545-6502
- Cardholder website: ebtEDGE
- Cardholder app: ebtEDGE NEW! (iPhone, Android)
- EBT processor: FIS
West Virginia SNAP and EBT phone numbers
| For | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EBT Customer Service (FIS): balance, PIN, lost or stolen card, claims | 1-866-545-65022 | 24 hours, 7 days |
| DoHS Customer Service Reporting Center (case questions, changes) | 1-877-716-121214 | Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-5 p.m. |
| Office of EBT Banking ServicesCompromised cards, WV WORKS skimming claims, authorized representatives | 1-304-558-412615 | — |
| Fax for change reports (Customer Service Center) | 1-304-558-18691 | — |
| DoHS Client Services (complaints about SNAP) | 1-800-642-85891 | — |
| Office of Inspector General (report SNAP fraud or trafficking) | 1-304-558-197014 | — |
| USDA relay for program information (voice and TTY) | 7111 | — |
Applying for SNAP in West Virginia
- Screen yourself if you are unsure. On WV PATH, "Screen for Assistance" gives a quick estimate without an account. It is not an application1.
- Apply on WV PATH or on paper. Choose "Apply Now" on WV PATH, or use the paper SNAP Application (English or Spanish)1. A form with your name, address and signature fixes your filing date, whether it arrives in person, by mail or by fax4.
- Take the interview by phone. The worker calls you unless you ask for an in-person interview. If you miss it, you get a notice to reschedule; without a new interview, denial comes on day 304.
- Send the proof on your checklist. Proof that arrives after day 30 but within 60 days of applying still counts, but benefits start from the day it arrived4.
- Activate your card when it comes. Before you shop, set your PIN at 1-866-545-6502 or on ebtEDGE2.
DoHS screens every application for expedited service on the day it arrives. You qualify if gross income is under $150 a month and cash and bank funds total $100 or less; if you are a destitute migrant or seasonal farmworker household with $100 or less; or if income plus liquid assets is less than rent or mortgage plus the utility allowance4. First benefits are usually available within three days after the worker enters the approval. Expedited applicants who apply on or after the 16th get two months at once4. County offices hand out paper forms and help with them; the DoHS Field Offices page lists them all1.
West Virginia's 200% gross income chart for FY2027
| Household size | Gross income limit (200%) | Net income limit (100%) | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,660 | $1,330 | $306 |
| 2 | $3,608 | $1,804 | $562 |
| 3 | $4,554 | $2,277 | $808 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $2,750 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $6,448 | $3,224 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $7,394 | $3,697 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $8,340 | $4,170 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $9,288 | $4,644 | $1,841 |
| Each additional person | +$948 | +$474 | +$225 |
Gross limit: as published by West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), Bureau for Family Assistance1. Net limit and maximum benefit: USDA FY2027 cost-of-living adjustments. All states compared.
West Virginia's broad-based categorical eligibility works through a referral form. Every household under 200% of the poverty line is authorized for information and referral services about TANF-funded programs. DoHS mails form DFA-SNAP I&R-1 on the day of approval, and that makes the household categorically eligible. The manual's example is a five-person family at 185% of poverty: over the federal 130% limit, yet eligible4.
Your approval notice says which income line you must watch. Approved at or below 130% of poverty: report when gross income goes over the 130% figure ($1,729 for one person). Approved above 130%: report only when it goes over 200%. The report is due by the 10th of the next month1. Households with an elderly or disabled member can also deduct medical costs over $35 a month and get a larger shelter deduction1.
Net income test. Households that qualify through West Virginia's broad-based categorical eligibility face no separate gross or net income test. Their counted income still sets the benefit amount4. Households of three or more must still have income low enough to produce a benefit4. Households with a member who is 60 or older or disabled have no gross income test. They must pass the 100% net test, which from October 1, 2026 starts at $1,330 a month for one person1,20.
Assets. Most households have no asset test1,4. The limit is $3,000, or $4,750 if a member is 60 or older or disabled1. It applies when a member is disqualified for an intentional program violation, is on strike or has a transfer-of-assets penalty. It also applies to a household previously disqualified over a large lottery or gambling win4.
Deposit days by the letter of your last name
Between the 1st and 9th of each month, based on the first letter of your last name.
| First letter of last name | Benefits available |
|---|---|
| B, X, Y, Z | 1st |
| C, F | 2nd |
| H, N, V | 3rd |
| I, M, O, U | 4th |
| Q, S | 5th |
| A, W | 6th |
| J, K, P | 7th |
| D, E, R | 8th |
| G, L, T | 9th |
Your first, prorated payment follows a different timeline. It is usually available within three days after the worker enters the approval4. To hear your last deposit date, call 1-866-545-65022. Unused SNAP is removed from the card 274 days after each deposit4. Summer EBT benefits are removed after 122 days, and DoHS mails a warning letter 30 days before9.
Six-month certifications and the 24-month exception
The manual's 2026 rules certify most households for 6 months. You get 24 months if every adult is 60 or older or disabled and no one has countable earnings. DoHS cuts the period short if a person with earnings, or an adult who is not elderly or disabled, joins the household4. A 24-month household gets an interim contact report (PRC-2) by mail at month 12. It needs no interview; return it to your local office or file it on WV PATH4. Each renewal includes a review form and an interview. If a renewal is not completed in time, the system closes the case. A form returned in the month after the period ends counts as a new application, with benefits prorated from that date4.
Between renewals you report only three things, by the 10th of the next month. They are income over your reporting line, a lottery or gambling win over $4,750 on one game or bet, and a time-limited adult losing an exemption or dropping below 20 work hours a week1. Report on WV PATH, at 1-877-716-1212, or on the Change Reporting Form (DFA-SNAP-2)1.
Rules specific to West Virginia
Soda ban from January 1 to July 10, 2026
Under its "SNAP Healthy Choices" waiver, West Virginia barred SNAP purchases of soda from January 1, 2026; stores had until April 1 to comply. "Soda" meant any carbonated, non-alcoholic drink with water, a sweetener (even an artificial one) and flavoring5. On June 22, 2026, a federal court vacated the waiver approval in Aragon v. Rollins7. DoHS stopped enforcing the ban on July 10, 2026, and sweetened carbonated drinks became eligible again6.
No work time-limit waiver anywhere in the state
Since November 1, 2025, the three-month time limit covers adults without dependents up to age 65 who do not work or train 20 hours a week. That date also ended the exemptions for veterans, homeless people and former foster youth4. Living with a child under 14 still exempts you1. USDA's list of waivers in effect October 1, 2026 shows none for any part of West Virginia10. The state's SNAP Employment and Training program is voluntary4.
Summer EBT 2026: $120 per child, paper application only
Summer EBT ran June 1 to August 20, 2026, paying $120 per eligible child8,9. Students aged 6 to 17 who had SNAP or WV WORKS in the 2025-2026 school year got it automatically. So did children on certain Medicaid categories, in foster care, homeless or in Head Start8. Everyone else had to apply on paper; there was no online application8.
No Restaurant Meals Program; hot food only after disasters
West Virginia is not on USDA's Restaurant Meals Program list11. After the July 21-22, 2026 floods, USDA allowed hot-food purchases in Lewis, Pleasants, Ritchie and Upshur counties from August 28 to September 26, 202618. Disaster SNAP and supplements in those counties reached 86 households19. Food bought with SNAP and lost to a power outage over 4 hours, a broken refrigerator, a fire or a flood can be replaced. Report it within 10 days and sign form DFA-SNAP-364.
Other assistance in West Virginia
| Program | What it covers |
|---|---|
| WV WORKS (TANF cash assistance) | Monthly cash for families with children; apply on WV PATH or at a DoHS office |
| West Virginia Medicaid | Health coverage for adults, children, and aged, blind or disabled people; apply on WV PATH or at a DoHS office |
| HealthCare.gov (health insurance marketplace) | Private plans with income-based tax credits for people who do not qualify for Medicaid |
| LIEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program) | Help with winter heating bills, plus a crisis component; FY2027 income limit $2,550 a month for one person |
| WIC West Virginia | Food, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support for pregnant women, new mothers and children under 5 |
| SNAP Employment and Training | Voluntary job training and skills help for SNAP recipients |
Sources
- SNAP (eligibility, reporting requirements, FY2027 130% and 200% income chart, forms), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Office of EBT (Mountain State Card, ebtEDGE, activation, replacement), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- EBT Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, September 2026), West Virginia Office of EBT Banking Services. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Income Maintenance Manual (chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12 and 17; Chapter 4 Appendix B, October 1, 2026 standards), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- DoHS Announces Implementation of WV's SNAP Healthy Choices Waiver, Effective January 1, 2026, West Virginia Department of Human Services. Checked 17 October 2026.
- DoHS Announces the Pause of SNAP Healthy Choices Waiver Following Federal Guidance (July 10, 2026), West Virginia Department of Human Services. Checked 17 October 2026.
- SNAP Food Restriction Waivers (page updated October 13, 2026), USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Summer EBT (2026 program), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Summer EBT FAQ, West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Status of State ABAWD Time Limit Waivers, FY2027 1st Quarter (in effect October 1, 2026), USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Restaurant Meals Program (page updated August 7, 2026), USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Checked 17 October 2026.
- DoHS Urges EBT Cardholders to Take Steps Now to Protect Benefits from Skimming (April 17, 2025), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Creating an Account on the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal or Mobile App (PDF, September 2026), West Virginia Office of EBT. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Contact Us (Bureau for Family Assistance; Office of EBT Banking Services), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- WV WORKS, West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- Utility Assistance/LIEAP (FY2027 income guidelines), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- West Virginia Receives Federal Approval to Allow SNAP Households in Four Counties to Purchase Hot Foods (August 28, 2026), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- DoHS Provides Disaster Food Assistance to Hundreds of West Virginians Following July Storms (September 23, 2026), West Virginia DoHS, Bureau for Family Assistance. Checked 17 October 2026.
- SNAP – Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (memo, August 21, 2026), U.S. Department of Agriculture. Checked 16 October 2026.