North Dakota SNAP households receive between $25 and $1,841 a month on an EBT card, depending on household size, income, and deductions. For federal fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027), the maximum monthly allotment is $306 for one person, $808 for three, and $1,023 for a family of four. Benefits load on the 1st of every month for every recipient statewide. Starting November 1, 2026, North Dakota's SNAP Healthy Choice Waiver stops SNAP from paying for soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy, which is the biggest change to what the card buys in years.
This guide covers the benefit itself: how much North Dakota pays, how the state figures out your exact amount, what the card does and does not cover under the new waiver, and how to stretch the balance further. If you are still checking whether you qualify, see our North Dakota SNAP eligibility guide and the North Dakota benefits overview first.
North Dakota SNAP Maximum Monthly Benefit Amounts
These are the federal fiscal year 2027 maximum allotments, set by the US Department of Agriculture and used in North Dakota and the rest of the 48 contiguous states plus DC. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have their own higher tables.
| Household Size | Maximum Monthly Benefit (FY2027) |
|---|
| 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 |
Two things get misread here. The maximum is what a household with no countable income receives, and most working households get less because the benefit drops as net income rises. There is also a floor: an eligible one or two person household receives at least $25 a month even if the formula calculates less. Households of three or more have no floor, so one that computes to nothing receives nothing.
How North Dakota Calculates Your Benefit Amount
The formula is federal, not state specific. North Dakota HHS takes your household's gross monthly income, subtracts the deductions you qualify for to get net income, then subtracts 30 percent of that net income from the maximum allotment for your household size.
The FY2027 deductions are:
| Deduction | FY2027 Amount |
|---|
| Standard deduction, households of 1 to 3 | $217 |
| Standard deduction, household of 4 | $229 |
| Standard deduction, household of 5 | $268 |
| Standard deduction, households of 6 or more | $308 |
| Earned income deduction | 20% of earnings |
| Excess shelter deduction cap (no elderly or disabled member) | $769 |
| Medical expense threshold (elderly or disabled members only) | costs above $35 |
Dependent care costs you pay so you can work or attend training are also deductible, with no cap. Households with an elderly or disabled member get an uncapped excess shelter deduction instead of the $769 ceiling, and they can deduct out of pocket medical costs above $35 a month.
One change worth knowing: since July 4, 2025, internet and broadband costs no longer count toward the shelter or utility deduction anywhere in the country. If an older guide told you to report your internet bill, that is no longer part of the math.
A worked North Dakota example
A Bismarck household of three with $2,400 a month in wages and $1,000 a month in rent and utilities:
- Gross monthly income: $2,400. That is under North Dakota's 200 percent gross income limit of $4,554 for three people, so the household passes the income test.
- Subtract the 20 percent earned income deduction ($480): $1,920.
- Subtract the standard deduction for three people ($217): $1,703.
- Shelter costs of $1,000 exceed half of $1,703 ($851.50) by $148.50, which is under the $769 cap, so subtract $148.50. Net income: $1,554.50.
- Thirty percent of net income, rounded up, is $467.
- $808 maximum allotment minus $467 equals an estimated $341 a month.
Change one input and the answer moves. Higher rent raises the benefit, a raise lowers it, which is why two households with identical paychecks can receive different amounts.
North Dakota Income Limits That Set the Benefit
North Dakota uses broad based categorical eligibility (BBCE), which raises the gross income limit to 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines instead of the federal 130 percent floor, and removes the asset test for most households. In a BBCE state, a household under the state's gross limit is categorically eligible and does not have to separately pass the 100 percent net income test, although net income still determines the benefit amount.
These monthly figures use the 2026 poverty guidelines, which SNAP applies for all of fiscal year 2027.
| Household Size | 130% FPL (federal gross) | 200% FPL (North Dakota gross limit) |
|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $2,660 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $3,607 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $4,554 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $5,500 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $6,447 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $7,394 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $8,340 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $9,287 |
| Each additional | add $616 | add $947 |
The federal asset limits are $3,000, or $4,750 for a household with an elderly or disabled member, but North Dakota waives the asset test under BBCE for most households, so a savings account or a paid off vehicle does not disqualify you.
The SNAP Healthy Choice Waiver: What Changes November 1, 2026
North Dakota received USDA approval to amend the SNAP definition of eligible food, and the state postponed the start date from September 1 to November 1, 2026 so the federal Food and Nutrition Administration could publish notice and take public comment. It is approved as a two year pilot.
From that date, SNAP benefits cannot be used in North Dakota to buy:
| Category | What it covers |
|---|
| Sweetened drinks | Beverages with 5 or more grams of added sugar, or any artificial sweetener, and less than 50% juice by volume, plus drink mixes for those beverages |
| Energy drinks and shots | Products with 65 mg or more of caffeine per 8 ounces, or stimulants such as guarana, ginseng, or taurine |
| Candy | Products marketed as candy, including chocolate bars and gummies |
What stays eligible, per North Dakota HHS:
- Milk and milk products
- Beverages that are more than 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice by volume
- Unsweetened drinks, including water and coffee
- Drinks with 5 grams of sugar or less
- Protein bars, granola bars, and baking ingredients
The rule applies to every SNAP purchase made in North Dakota, including purchases by someone whose benefits were issued by another state. Restricted items do not process on the SNAP side at checkout, but you can still buy them with cash or a debit card in the same split transaction.
North Dakota HHS has said retailers get a transition window of roughly 90 days from November 1 to reprogram their checkout systems, and several hundred SNAP retailers statewide are affected. Expect uneven enforcement for the first few months. Check labels or ask store staff if you are unsure, because the sugar and caffeine thresholds are not obvious from packaging.
What Else the EBT Card Covers
Outside the new waiver categories, the usual federal SNAP rules apply. You can buy:
- Fruits and vegetables, fresh, frozen, or canned
- Meat, poultry, and fish
- Dairy products
- Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta
- Snack foods and non alcoholic beverages that fall outside the restricted categories
- Seeds and plants that produce food for your household
You cannot buy alcohol, tobacco or nicotine products, vitamins and supplements, hot prepared foods, pet food, paper products, cleaning supplies, or hygiene items. The hot foods line trips people up most: a cold rotisserie chicken from the deli case is eligible, the same chicken sold hot is not.
Deposits, Balances, and Card Management
North Dakota loads SNAP benefits on the 1st of every month for all recipients statewide, with no staggering by case number or Social Security number and no shift for weekends or holidays. Deposits process overnight, so most households see the balance in the early morning.
| Task | How |
|---|
| Check balance | ebtEDGE mobile app, ebtedge.com, or 1-800-630-4655 (24 hours) |
| Replace a lost or stolen card | 1-800-630-4655 |
| Case or eligibility questions | 1-866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central |
| Email the state | applyforhelp@nd.gov |
Unused benefits roll over month to month. Under federal rules, benefits in an account with no activity for 274 days (about nine months) are removed, so use the card at least occasionally even if you are stockpiling a balance. If you suspect skimming or theft, call customer service immediately to lock the card.
Stretching the Benefit Further in North Dakota
Online grocery orders. North Dakota SNAP households can use EBT for pickup and delivery orders at participating retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Aldi. SNAP pays for the food. It cannot pay delivery fees, service fees, or tips, so you need a second payment method on file for those.
Double Up Dakota Bucks. Run through NDSU Extension, this program matches SNAP spending on produce at participating farmers markets, including BisMarket in Bismarck, Red River Market in Fargo, Town Square Farmers Market in Grand Forks, North Prairie Farmers in Minot, and others. The matching dollars can only be spent on fruits, vegetables, herbs, and food producing plants. Match amounts and daily caps vary by market, so ask at the market information booth before you shop.
Summer EBT for school age children. North Dakota operates a Summer EBT program that provides grocery benefits for eligible children during summer break, separate from monthly SNAP. Details are posted at ndsummerebt.nd.gov.
How to Apply or Report a Change
North Dakota runs SNAP through HHS and local human service zone offices, with one statewide self service portal.
- Apply online at the North Dakota Self Service Portal, dhsbenefits.dhs.nd.gov, which is the fastest route and lets you upload documents directly.
- Or submit the paper application (SFN 405, Application for Services) by mail or in person at your human service zone office.
- Complete the interview. HHS schedules an eligibility interview after your application arrives, usually by phone.
- Send proof of identity, residency, income, household expenses, and shelter costs.
- Wait for the decision. Standard processing is up to 30 days. Households with very low income and assets may qualify for expedited service within 7 days.
- Report changes and recertify through the same portal. Income, household size, and address changes affect your amount, and a missed recertification stops benefits even if you still qualify.
Rules That Can Reduce or End Benefits
The three month time limit. Since July 4, 2025, adults 18 to 64 with no child under 14 in the household can usually receive SNAP for only 3 months in any 3 year period unless they work or train about 20 hours a week (80 hours a month), receive unemployment benefits, or meet another exemption. Pregnant women remain exempt. Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth are no longer exempt. There are no statewide waivers anywhere as of October 1, 2026, and North Dakota has no waivered areas, so the limit applies statewide. If you think the rule applies to you, ask your zone office which exemption you may meet before assuming you are cut off.
Immigration status. Also since July 4, 2025, SNAP is limited to 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 have 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 family, the members who qualify can still receive SNAP, and household size is counted accordingly.
Unreported income. Overpayments are collected back, usually by reducing future benefits, so reporting a raise promptly costs less than repaying months of overissued benefits later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum SNAP benefit in North Dakota for 2026?
For fiscal year 2027, which runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, the maximum monthly allotment is $306 for one person, $562 for two, $808 for three, and $1,023 for four, rising to $1,841 for eight people and adding $225 for each person beyond that. Most households receive less than the maximum, because the benefit falls as net income rises.
Why did my North Dakota SNAP amount go down?
The most common causes are a rise in household income, a drop in reported shelter costs, a household member leaving, or a change in deduction amounts at recertification. The October 1 federal adjustment can also shift amounts. Your notice from HHS lists the figures used, and you can request a fair hearing if the numbers look wrong.
Can I still buy soda and candy with my North Dakota EBT card?
Not with SNAP benefits after November 1, 2026. North Dakota's Healthy Choice Waiver excludes soft drinks, energy drinks and shots, and candy from SNAP eligible food. You can still buy those items with cash or a debit card in the same transaction. Milk, drinks that are more than 50 percent juice, unsweetened beverages, protein and granola bars, and baking ingredients remain SNAP eligible.
What day do North Dakota SNAP benefits deposit?
The 1st of every month, for every recipient in the state. North Dakota does not stagger deposits, and benefits still load on the 1st when it falls on a weekend or holiday.
Does North Dakota have an asset limit for SNAP?
Not for most households. North Dakota uses broad based categorical eligibility, which waives the asset test and raises the gross income limit to 200 percent of the poverty guidelines. The federal limits of $3,000, or $4,750 for a household with an elderly or disabled member, are the backstop figures that apply in non BBCE situations.
Can I use North Dakota SNAP benefits for grocery delivery?
Yes. EBT works for online pickup and delivery at participating retailers including Walmart, Amazon, and Aldi. SNAP covers the groceries only, so you need another payment method for delivery fees, service charges, and tips.
How long does a North Dakota SNAP application take?
Up to 30 days for standard processing. Households with very low income and almost no liquid assets, or whose housing costs exceed their income and resources, may qualify for expedited processing within 7 days.
Benefit amounts in this guide are federal fiscal year 2027 figures from USDA and income limits use the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines. Actual eligibility and amounts are determined by North Dakota Health and Human Services. Figures here are estimates, not a guarantee of benefits.
