Louisiana SNAP pays a monthly food benefit loaded onto a Louisiana Purchase EBT card, and for federal fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) the maximum is $306 a month for one person, $808 for three, and $1,023 for a household of four. Louisiana uses broad-based categorical eligibility, so most households qualify with gross monthly income at or under 200% of the federal poverty guideline, which is $2,660 for one person and $5,500 for a family of four, and there is no asset test for most households. Since February 2026, the card no longer buys soft drinks, energy drinks, or candy anywhere in the state.
The program also changed hands. As of October 1, 2025, SNAP in Louisiana is run by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), not the Department of Children and Family Services, under the state's Project One Door consolidation. FITAP, Kinship Care, SUN Bucks, and Disability Determination Services moved with it, and SNAP Employment and Training moved to the Louisiana Workforce Commission. Applications still go through the same CAFÉ customer portal and the same 1-888-524-3578 phone line.
What Louisiana SNAP benefits cover
SNAP buys groceries. In Louisiana that means fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, bread and cereals, rice and pasta, snack foods that are not candy, non-alcoholic beverages that are not restricted, and seeds and plants that produce food at home.
Louisiana is one of a small group of states running a USDA-approved food restriction waiver, which the USDA approved on August 4, 2025 and which took effect statewide in February 2026. It runs as a pilot into 2028. Three categories came off the eligible list:
| Category | What it covers | What is still eligible |
|---|
| Soft drinks | Carbonated beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners | Flavored carbonated water, milk substitutes, drinks with at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice |
| Energy drinks | Beverages marketed for energy that contain stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, or taurine | Coffee, tea, and other non-energy-marketed drinks |
| Candy | Sweet preparations with chocolate, fruit, or nuts, including gum and mints under the state definition | Protein bars, granola bars, baking chocolate and other baking ingredients |
The restriction applies at grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers markets, and online SNAP retailers alike. You can still buy those items, just not with SNAP dollars.
What SNAP does not cover anywhere, Louisiana included: alcohol, tobacco and vapes, vitamins and supplements, pet food, paper goods, cleaning products, cosmetics, and hot foods prepared for immediate eating. A temporary USDA disaster waiver let Louisiana households buy hot and prepared foods after Tropical Storm Arthur, but it expired August 13, 2026 and is no longer in effect. The state announced that rotisserie chicken would become an eligible item as part of its waiver package; stores were told to wait on a separate federal approval, so ask at the register before you count on it.
Louisiana EBT cards also work for online grocery orders at participating retailers, including major chains that accept SNAP online. SNAP pays for the food only, never the delivery fee or the tip.
Louisiana SNAP income limits for FY2027
Louisiana expanded broad-based categorical eligibility on July 1, 2022, raising the gross income ceiling from 130% to 200% of the poverty guideline and dropping the asset test for most households. Under 7 CFR 273.9(a), a household at or under a BBCE state's gross limit is categorically eligible and does not have to pass the separate net income test.
SNAP income standards for FY2027 are built on the 2026 poverty guidelines and hold steady until October 1, 2027, even after new guidelines come out in January.
| Household size | Gross monthly limit (200% FPL) | Net monthly figure (100% FPL) |
|---|
| 1 | $2,660 | $1,330 |
| 2 | $3,607 | $1,804 |
| 3 | $4,554 | $2,277 |
| 4 | $5,500 | $2,750 |
| 5 | $6,447 | $3,224 |
| 6 | $7,394 | $3,697 |
| 7 | $8,340 | $4,170 |
| 8 | $9,287 | $4,644 |
| Each additional | add $947 | add $474 |
Net income still matters, because it sets the benefit amount even when the net test does not gate eligibility. The federal asset limits are $3,000, or $4,750 for a household with a member who is 60 or older or who has a disability, but Louisiana waives the resource test for most households under BBCE.
Louisiana SNAP benefit amounts
These are the FY2027 maximum monthly allotments for the 48 states and DC, in effect October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. A household with no countable net income receives the maximum. Everyone else receives the maximum minus 30% of net income.
| Household size | Maximum monthly benefit | Minimum monthly benefit |
|---|
| 1 | $306 | $25 |
| 2 | $562 | $25 |
| 3 | $808 | none |
| 4 | $1,023 | none |
| 5 | $1,217 | none |
| 6 | $1,463 | none |
| 7 | $1,616 | none |
| 8 | $1,841 | none |
| Each additional | add $225 | none |
The $25 minimum applies only to eligible one and two person households. A household of three or more whose benefit calculates to zero simply gets nothing.
How Louisiana calculates your benefit
The arithmetic is federal, so it works the same in Baton Rouge as it does anywhere else.
- Add up gross monthly income for everyone in the household. SSI counts as income. Veterans' educational benefits do not.
- Subtract 20% of earned income (wages and self-employment, not benefits).
- Subtract the standard deduction: $217 for households of 1 to 3, $229 for 4, $268 for 5, and $308 for 6 or more.
- Subtract dependent care costs you pay so someone can work, train, or attend school.
- If a household member is 60 or older or has a disability, subtract out-of-pocket medical costs above $35 a month.
- Subtract shelter costs (rent or mortgage plus utilities) that exceed half of what is left. The deduction is capped at $769 unless the household includes an elderly or disabled member, in which case there is no cap.
- The result is net income. Multiply by 30% and subtract that from the maximum allotment for your household size.
One change worth knowing: internet service stopped counting toward the shelter and utility deduction on July 4, 2025. Phone, electricity, gas, water, and trash still count.
Example, family of three in Shreveport. Earned income $2,200 a month, rent and utilities $900. The 20% earned deduction takes income to $1,760, the $217 standard deduction to $1,543. Half of $1,543 is $771.50, so excess shelter is $128.50, leaving net income of $1,414.50. Thirty percent of that is $425. The benefit is $808 minus $425, about $383 a month.
Example, single adult in New Orleans. Earned income $1,500 a month, rent and utilities $700. After the earned deduction and the standard deduction, adjusted income is $983. Half is $491.50, so excess shelter is $208.50, leaving net income of $774.50. Thirty percent is $233. The benefit is $306 minus $233, about $73 a month.
These are estimates. Your caseworker uses verified figures, and the real number can land above or below.
Work requirements in Louisiana
A federal law enacted July 4, 2025 rewrote the SNAP time limit. Adults 18 to 64 with no child under 14 in the household can usually receive SNAP for only 3 months out of 3 years unless they work or train at least 20 hours a week, receive unemployment compensation, or qualify for another exemption. Pregnant women remain exempt. Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth lost the exemptions they had before that date.
Louisiana has no geographic relief from the time limit. Under Act 308 of the 2024 regular session, the state cannot seek or renew area waivers or grant state exemptions unless federal law requires it, and no Louisiana parish has a waiver in FY2027. Existing households generally see the new age and child rules applied at their next recertification.
The word "usually" is doing real work there. Exemptions still include being physically or mentally unable to work, caring for an incapacitated person, being enrolled at least half time in school or training, receiving unemployment, and meeting work rules through another program. If you think the rule hits you, say so at the interview rather than assuming you are out. SNAP Employment and Training in Louisiana is now run by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
Immigrant eligibility
The same July 2025 law narrowed who can receive SNAP. It is now limited to US citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), Cuban and Haitian entrants, and citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau. Refugees, asylees, and parolees who do not hold a green card no longer qualify. Many green card holders must wait 5 years first, with exceptions that include children under 18, 40 qualifying quarters of work, blindness or disability, and a military connection.
In a mixed-status household, the members who do qualify can still get SNAP. Benefits are prorated to the eligible members, so a family with two citizen children and ineligible parents can still receive a benefit for the children.
When Louisiana EBT benefits arrive
Louisiana staggers deposits by the last digit of the head of household's Social Security number, generally landing between the 5th and the 23rd. Households where all members are 60 or older or have a disability are typically paid between the 1st and the 4th.
| Last digit of SSN | Deposit day |
|---|
| 0 | 5th |
| 1 | 7th |
| 2 | 9th |
| 3 | 11th |
| 4 | 13th |
| 5 | 15th |
| 6 | 17th |
| 7 | 19th |
| 8 | 21st |
| 9 | 23rd |
Unspent benefits roll over month to month. Benefits are removed from the account only after a long stretch of no activity, so use the card at least occasionally even in a light month.
Programs that stretch Louisiana SNAP dollars further
- Louisiana Carrot Initiative, formerly the Electronic Healthy Incentives Project (eHIP). SNAP shoppers at participating retailers earn roughly 30 cents back for every dollar spent on fresh produce, up to about $25 a month, credited automatically to the EBT card. LDH expanded it to Walmart stores in East Baton Rouge and Orleans parishes in February 2026.
- Greaux the Good, run by the New Orleans nonprofit Market Umbrella, matches SNAP dollars spent on fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and farm stands across much of the state. Match caps and eligible items change by season, so check with the market.
- SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) gives eligible school-age children a one-time summer food benefit, $120 per child in 2026, issued in phases over June and July. Children in SNAP or income-based Medicaid households are enrolled automatically; others apply. SUN Bucks moved to LDH with the rest of the Economic Stability programs.
- Free and reduced-price school meals. A household receiving SNAP is categorically eligible, and school-meal income limits stay on the 2026 poverty guidelines through June 30, 2027.
How to apply for SNAP in Louisiana
- Apply online through CAFÉ. The Louisiana CAFÉ Customer Portal at cafe.dcfs.la.gov is still the application system after the move to LDH. Create an account, complete the SNAP application, and submit. You can also check status, upload documents, report changes, and file your renewal there.
- Or apply by phone, mail, fax, or in person. Call 1-888-524-3578 (888-LAHelp-U), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Paper applications can be mailed to LDH Economic Stability, P.O. Box 260031, Baton Rouge, LA 70826, or faxed to 225-663-3164. Local offices also take applications.
- Gather documents before the interview. Photo ID, Social Security numbers for each household member, proof of Louisiana residence such as a lease or utility bill, the last 30 days of pay stubs or a statement of self-employment income, rent or mortgage and utility bills, child care costs, and medical expense records if anyone is elderly or disabled. Immigration documents are needed only for non-citizen members applying for themselves.
- Complete the interview. Most households do a phone interview. Watch for the appointment notice in CAFÉ or by mail, and call the hotline to reschedule rather than missing it, because a missed interview is a common reason applications get denied.
- Wait for the decision. The state has 30 days to decide. Households with very low income and few resources qualify for expedited service, with benefits within 7 days.
- Keep the case current. Report changes in income, household size, or address through CAFÉ, and file your renewal on time. Most households recertify every 6 or 12 months depending on circumstances.
For a full rundown of other Louisiana programs you may be eligible for alongside SNAP, see our Louisiana benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the income limit for food stamps in Louisiana in 2026?
Most Louisiana households qualify with gross monthly income at or under 200% of the federal poverty guideline, because the state uses broad-based categorical eligibility. For FY2027 that is $2,660 a month for one person, $3,607 for two, $4,554 for three, and $5,500 for a family of four, with $947 added for each additional person.
How much will I get in SNAP benefits in Louisiana?
Between the $25 minimum for one and two person households and the FY2027 maximum of $306 for one person, $562 for two, $808 for three, and $1,023 for four. The calculation is the maximum allotment minus 30% of your net income after deductions, so households with some income typically get well under the maximum.
Can I still buy soda and candy with my Louisiana EBT card?
No. Louisiana's USDA-approved food restriction waiver took effect in February 2026 and removed soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy, including gum and mints, from the eligible list statewide. Flavored carbonated water, drinks with at least 50% juice, milk substitutes, protein bars, granola bars, and baking ingredients are still eligible.
Does Louisiana have an asset limit for SNAP?
Not for most households. Louisiana dropped the resource test under broad-based categorical eligibility in 2020. The federal limits that would otherwise apply are $3,000, or $4,750 for a household with an elderly or disabled member.
Who runs SNAP in Louisiana now?
The Louisiana Department of Health has administered SNAP since October 1, 2025, when it transferred from the Department of Children and Family Services under Project One Door. Benefits, eligibility rules, the CAFÉ portal, and the 1-888-524-3578 phone line were not changed by the move. SNAP Employment and Training is handled by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
How long can an adult without children get SNAP in Louisiana?
Adults 18 to 64 with no child under 14 in the household are usually limited to 3 months of SNAP in 3 years unless they work or train 20 hours a week, receive unemployment, or meet another exemption. Louisiana has no parish waivers from this rule, because Act 308 of 2024 bars the state from seeking them. Exemptions for being unable to work, caring for an incapacitated person, pregnancy, or half-time school enrollment still apply.
When do Louisiana SNAP benefits get deposited?
On a day between the 5th and 23rd set by the last digit of the head of household's Social Security number, from the 5th for a 0 to the 23rd for a 9. Households in which everyone is 60 or older or has a disability are generally paid between the 1st and 4th.
Can I use Louisiana SNAP benefits for grocery delivery?
Yes, at participating online retailers. Your EBT card covers the SNAP-eligible food in the order. Delivery fees, service charges, and tips must be paid another way.
Do hot foods count as covered under Louisiana SNAP?
Generally no. Hot foods prepared for immediate consumption are not SNAP-eligible. A temporary USDA disaster waiver allowed hot and prepared food purchases in Louisiana through August 13, 2026, but it has expired. State officials announced rotisserie chicken as an eligible item under the state's waiver package, and stores were told to await separate federal approval, so confirm at the store before buying it with SNAP.
