A single person in Missouri can get up to $306 a month in SNAP food benefits, and a household of four can get up to $1,023. These are the federal fiscal year 2027 maximums, in effect from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. To qualify, most Missouri households need gross monthly income at or below 130% of the federal poverty guideline, which is $1,729 a month for one person and $3,575 for a family of four, plus net income at or below 100% of the guideline. Missouri runs SNAP through the Family Support Division, and you apply at mydss.mo.gov or by calling 1-855-373-4636.
Missouri does not use a state brand name for SNAP, and the state's own manuals still call it the Food Stamp Program. The benefit arrives on an EBT card that works like a debit card at grocery stores, and the amount you receive depends on your income after deductions, not just your household size.
Missouri SNAP income limits, FY2027
Missouri is one of the states that did not adopt broad-based categorical eligibility, so households here have to pass both the gross income test and the net income test. That matters: in a state with broad-based categorical eligibility, a household under the state's gross limit skips the net test entirely. Missouri households do not get that shortcut.
These limits run from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 and are built on the 2026 poverty guidelines.
| Household size | Gross monthly limit (130%) | Net monthly limit (100%) |
|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $1,330 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $1,804 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $2,277 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $2,750 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $3,224 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $3,697 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $4,170 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $4,644 |
| Each additional person | add about $616 | add about $474 |
One important exception: a household with a member age 60 or older, or a member with a disability, does not have to meet the gross income test at all. Those households only have to pass the net income test. If a senior in Missouri was told no because of gross income, that answer may have been wrong.
Maximum monthly benefit amounts
| Household size | Maximum monthly SNAP benefit |
|---|
| 1 | $306 |
| 2 | $562 |
| 3 | $808 |
| 4 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $1,841 |
| Each additional person | add $225 |
The minimum benefit for an eligible one or two person household is $25 a month. Households of three or more that calculate down to zero simply get nothing.
How Missouri calculates what you actually get
Very few households receive the maximum. The formula subtracts 30% of your net income from the maximum allotment for your household size. Net income is your gross income minus the deductions you qualify for:
- Standard deduction: $217 a month for households of 1 to 3, $229 for 4, $268 for 5, $308 for 6 or more
- Earned income deduction: 20% of wages and self-employment income
- Dependent care: what you pay for child or adult care so you can work, train, or go to school
- Medical expenses: costs above $35 a month, but only for members age 60 or older or with a disability
- Excess shelter: rent or mortgage plus a utility allowance above half your income after the other deductions, capped at $769 a month unless the household includes an elderly or disabled member, in which case there is no cap
One change people still miss: since July 4, 2025, internet and broadband costs no longer count toward the shelter or utility deduction. If you were deducting internet before, it is gone.
Worked example, single adult. You earn $1,200 a month and pay $700 in rent. The 20% earned income deduction takes $240, the standard deduction takes $217, and the excess shelter deduction takes about $328. Net income lands near $415. Thirty percent of that is $125, subtracted from the $306 maximum, leaving roughly $181 a month.
Worked example, family of three. You earn $2,500 a month and pay $900 in rent. After the 20% earned deduction and the $217 standard deduction, your adjusted income is $1,783, half of which is about $892, so the excess shelter deduction is small. Net income is roughly $1,775. Thirty percent is $533, subtracted from the $808 maximum, leaving about $275 a month.
Your actual figure will shift with utility allowances, medical costs, and child care, so treat these as illustrations rather than promises.
Asset limits in Missouri
Because Missouri did not drop the asset test, countable resources matter. The federal limits for FY2027 are $3,000 for most households and $4,750 for a household with a member age 60 or older or with a disability. Countable resources generally mean cash, checking and savings balances, and some vehicles. Your home, retirement accounts, and most household goods are not counted. Missouri's published charts have shown higher figures in past years, so if the number the Family Support Division quotes you differs from these, ask which standard they applied and when it took effect.
What Missouri SNAP covers
SNAP benefits load onto a Missouri EBT card and cover food for the household to prepare and eat at home:
| Covered by SNAP | Not covered by SNAP |
|---|
| Fruits and vegetables, fresh, frozen, or canned | Hot prepared foods and restaurant meals |
| Meat, poultry, and fish | Alcohol and tobacco |
| Dairy, eggs, and cheese | Vitamins, supplements, and medicine |
| Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta | Pet food |
| Snack foods and non-alcoholic drinks | Paper products, soap, diapers, and cleaning supplies |
| Seeds and plants that produce food for the household | Live animals, with narrow exceptions |
You can use a Missouri EBT card at nearly every grocery store and most convenience stores and dollar stores in the state, plus many farmers markets. Online grocery purchasing with SNAP EBT works at Walmart and Amazon, and at several regional chains that have added it, for pickup and delivery. Delivery fees themselves cannot be paid with SNAP.
Two extras worth knowing about:
- Double Up Food Bucks Missouri matches SNAP dollars spent on Missouri-grown fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and some grocers, commonly up to $25 a day. It stretches the same benefit further without any separate application.
- SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) gives eligible school-age children a one-time grocery benefit, around $120 per child, for the summer months. Missouri participates. Children in a SNAP household are usually enrolled automatically, so watch for the notice rather than waiting to apply.
Unused SNAP benefits roll over from month to month on your card. They are removed if the account goes unused for nine straight months, so spend down an old balance before that window closes.
Missouri EBT deposit schedule
Missouri staggers deposits across the first 22 days of the month using the head of household's birth month and the first letter of the last name.
| Birth month | Last name A to K | Last name L to Z |
|---|
| January | 1st | 2nd |
| February | 3rd | 4th |
| March | 5th | 6th |
| April | 7th | 7th |
| May | 8th | 9th |
| June | 10th | 11th |
| July | 12th | 13th |
| August | 14th | 15th |
| September | 16th | 17th |
| October | 18th | 19th |
| November | 20th | 21st |
| December | 22nd | 22nd |
Benefits post overnight and are usually spendable the following morning. Confirm your own date on the Family Support Division's monthly EBT schedule page, since Missouri has adjusted this calendar before.
Work rules that changed in 2025
A federal law enacted July 4, 2025 rewrote the SNAP time limit, and Missouri applies it. Adults 18 to 64 with no child under 14 in the household can usually receive SNAP for only 3 months in a 3 year period unless they work or train at least 80 hours a month, which is about 20 hours a week.
The age ceiling used to be 54, so Missourians in their late 50s and early 60s are subject to this rule for the first time. The child age that exempts a parent also moved, from under 18 down to under 14.
Exemptions that still apply include:
- Pregnancy
- A child under 14 in the household
- Being under 18 or 65 or older
- A physical or mental condition that prevents work
- Receiving unemployment compensation
- Participating in a drug or alcohol treatment program
- Being in school or training at least 20 hours a week
Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth are no longer exempt under the 2025 law. As of October 1, 2026 there are no statewide waivers of this time limit anywhere, and the area waivers that do exist do not cover Missouri.
Missouri's SkillUP program is the state's voluntary SNAP employment and training route. Hours spent in SkillUP count toward the work requirement, and it is free to SNAP participants. Ask the Family Support Division to refer you if the time limit applies to you.
Immigration rules that changed in 2025
Also effective July 4, 2025, SNAP is limited to U.S. citizens and nationals, 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 including children under 18, 40 quarters of work history, blindness or disability, and a military connection.
In a mixed status household, the members who do qualify can still receive SNAP. The benefit is calculated on the eligible members, so a family is not shut out because one person is ineligible.
How to apply for SNAP in Missouri
- Apply online at mydss.mo.gov. Create an account, select food assistance, and submit. You can also mail or fax the paper FS-1 application, drop it at a Family Support Division Resource Center, or call 1-855-373-4636.
- Submit the application even if it is incomplete. Your filing date sets when benefits start, so getting your name, address, and signature in matters more than having every document ready.
- Take the interview. The Family Support Division typically tries to call the next business day after your application is registered. It runs about 15 to 20 minutes and is done by phone.
- Send your verification documents. Photo ID, proof of Missouri residence, Social Security numbers for household members, the last 30 days of pay stubs, and bills for rent, utilities, child care, and medical costs if they apply.
- Ask about expedited benefits if money is nearly gone. A household with under $150 in monthly gross income and $100 or less in liquid resources, or whose combined income and resources fall short of monthly rent plus utilities, is entitled to a decision within 7 days instead of 30.
- Watch for your EBT card. It arrives separately by mail. Call the number on the card to set a PIN before you shop.
How long coverage lasts
Missouri certifies most SNAP households for 12 months. Households where everyone is age 60 or older or has a disability, with no earned income, are often certified for 24 months.
Partway through, Missouri sends a mid-certification review form, in month 6 of a 12 month period or month 12 of a 24 month period. Returning it late or not at all stops benefits, and this is the single most common reason Missouri households lose SNAP while still eligible. At the end of the certification period you recertify to start a new one.
Report changes you are required to report during the period, including income going above your household's limit and anyone moving in or out.
For more Missouri program details, including MO HealthNet, WIC, and utility assistance, see our Missouri benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are Missouri SNAP benefits per person?
There is no per person amount. Benefits are calculated per household. The FY2027 maximum is $306 a month for a one person household and $1,023 for four people, and most households receive less because 30% of net income is subtracted from the maximum. The minimum for an eligible one or two person household is $25.
What is the income limit for food stamps in Missouri in 2026?
From October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, gross monthly income must be at or below $1,729 for one person, $2,345 for two, $2,960 for three, and $3,575 for four. Net monthly income must be at or below $1,330, $1,804, $2,277, and $2,750 for those same household sizes. Households with a member age 60 or older or with a disability skip the gross test.
Does Missouri have an asset limit for SNAP?
Yes. Missouri did not eliminate the asset test. Countable resources must stay under $3,000, or $4,750 if a household member is age 60 or older or has a disability. Your home and retirement accounts are not counted.
Can I buy hot food with my Missouri EBT card?
No. Hot prepared foods and restaurant meals are not SNAP eligible, and Missouri does not operate a Restaurant Meals Program. A rotisserie chicken sold hot is not covered, but the same chicken sold cold or frozen is.
Can I use Missouri SNAP for online grocery orders?
Yes. Walmart and Amazon accept SNAP EBT for pickup and delivery in Missouri, along with several regional grocers. Delivery and service fees cannot be paid with SNAP, so you need another payment method for those.
How long does it take to get SNAP in Missouri?
Up to 30 days for a standard application. Households with almost no income or resources qualify for expedited processing and get a decision within 7 days. Many Missouri applicants see a decision in 7 to 30 days depending on how fast verification arrives.
Do SNAP benefits expire in Missouri?
Unused benefits carry over month to month, but an account with no activity for nine consecutive months has its balance removed. Making any purchase resets the clock.
Will the 2025 work rules cut me off?
Only if you are 18 to 64 with no child under 14 in the household and you are not working or training at least 80 hours a month, and no exemption applies. Pregnancy, a disabling condition, receiving unemployment, and treatment program participation all still exempt you. Missouri's SkillUP program hours count toward the requirement.
