Virginia loads SNAP benefits onto EBT cards between the 1st and the 7th of every month, based on the last digit of your food stamp case number. Case numbers ending in 0 through 3 are paid on the 1st, numbers ending in 4 or 5 are paid on the 4th, and numbers ending in 6 through 9 are paid on the 7th. That is one of the tightest deposit windows in the country, and your date does not change from month to month once your case is active. This guide covers the full 2026 calendar, how to check your balance through ConnectEBT, what to do if benefits do not arrive, and the chip card replacement Virginia is rolling out this fall.
Virginia EBT Deposit Schedule by Case Number Last Digit
The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) staggers SNAP issuance across three dates. Your date is set by the final digit of your SNAP case number, not by your Social Security Number and not by your last name.
| Last Digit of Case Number | EBT Deposit Date |
|---|
| 0, 1, 2, 3 | 1st of the month |
| 4, 5 | 4th of the month |
| 6, 7, 8, 9 | 7th of the month |
Because Virginia only uses three issuance dates, roughly 40% of Virginia SNAP households are paid on the 1st. If you shop on the 1st, expect grocery stores to be busy that morning.
2026 Monthly EBT Deposit Calendar for Virginia
Find your case number group in the left column and read across for your deposit date in every month of 2026.
| Case Number Ends In | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|
| 0-3 | Jan 1 | Feb 1 | Mar 1 | Apr 1 | May 1 | Jun 1 | Jul 1 | Aug 1 | Sep 1 | Oct 1 | Nov 1 | Dec 1 |
| 4-5 | Jan 4 | Feb 4 | Mar 4 | Apr 4 | May 4 | Jun 4 | Jul 4 | Aug 4 | Sep 4 | Oct 4 | Nov 4 | Dec 4 |
| 6-9 | Jan 7 | Feb 7 | Mar 7 | Apr 7 | May 7 | Jun 7 | Jul 7 | Aug 7 | Sep 7 | Oct 7 | Nov 7 | Dec 7 |
Virginia issues benefits on the scheduled calendar date whether or not it falls on a weekend or a federal holiday. January 1 is a holiday and several 2026 deposit dates land on Saturdays and Sundays, but the deposit is not moved up or pushed back. EBT is an electronic system and does not follow bank holiday rules.
Where to Find Your Virginia SNAP Case Number
If you do not know your case number, you have a few options:
- Your approval notice. The notice of action VDSS mailed when your case was approved lists the case number and often states your issuance date directly.
- CommonHelp. Log in at commonhelp.virginia.gov and open your case summary.
- Your local department of social services. Virginia administers SNAP through more than 120 local offices, one for each city and county, so call the office that handles your case.
- The EBT help desk. Call 1-866-281-2448 with your 16 digit card number to confirm when your benefits were released.
What Time Do EBT Benefits Load in Virginia?
VDSS does not publish an official posting hour. Most Virginia cardholders report that funds are available very early on the deposit date, generally by 6:00 a.m., and many see the balance update just after midnight. If your balance still has not changed by mid afternoon on your scheduled date, check it again through a second method before you call, since a stale app screen is more common than a missed deposit.
How to Check Your Virginia EBT Balance
Virginia uses the ConnectEBT system for cardholder services. You have five ways to see your balance:
ConnectEBT website. Go to connectebt.com and log in with your card number to see your current SNAP balance, your full transaction history, and card controls.
ConnectEBT mobile app. Free for iOS and Android. Along with your balance, the app lets you lock and unlock your card, which is the single best fraud protection available to you right now.
Phone. Call 1-866-281-2448, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Enter the 16 digit number on the front of your card to hear your balance. Spanish language service is available at 1-800-897-0668.
Store terminal. Insert or swipe your card at a point of sale machine, enter your PIN, and select the balance option.
Your receipt. Your remaining SNAP balance prints at the bottom of every EBT purchase receipt.
One thing to watch: if you enter your PIN incorrectly five times, ConnectEBT locks the card for the rest of the day. It unlocks automatically after midnight, so you do not need a replacement card for a bad PIN day.
What to Do if Your Virginia Benefits Are Late or Missing
Work through these steps in order:
- Confirm your deposit date. A case number ending in 7 pays on the 7th, not the 1st. Many "missing benefits" calls come from households checking on the wrong day.
- Check the balance twice, through two different channels. Use the phone line and the app, since an app screen can be cached.
- Wait out the full day. Deposits occasionally post later than usual in the early morning hours.
- Call 1-866-281-2448 to confirm your card is active and whether benefits were released to it.
- Call your local department of social services if the help desk shows no issuance. The most common causes are a missed recertification, an unreturned interview call, or an unreported change that put your case in pending status.
- Check whether your renewal is due. Virginia SNAP certification periods commonly run 6 or 12 months. If your recertification packet was not returned on time, benefits stop even though your card still works.
If your balance dropped without you spending it, treat it as theft and skip to the fraud section below.
New Virginia EBT Chip Cards Arriving Fall 2026
Virginia is replacing every magnetic stripe EBT card with a chip enabled card. Pilot cardholders in 20 localities receive their new cards by October 1, 2026, and the rest of Virginia's SNAP households receive theirs between October and December 2026. The new cards are dual interface, meaning you can either tap or insert the chip. VDSS recommends tapping because it offers the strongest protection against cloning.
Three things to do now:
- Update your mailing address, phone number, and email with your local department of social services. Cards are mailed, and an old address means a lost card.
- Activate the new card as soon as it arrives and set a new PIN using the instructions in the envelope.
- Do not wait. Your old card is deactivated 60 days after the new card is mailed.
Questions about the chip card rollout go to VAchip@dss.virginia.gov or 1-866-281-2448. Your deposit date does not change when you switch cards.
Protecting Your Benefits from Skimming
EBT skimming has hit Virginia hard, and this is the part that costs households real money: federal law no longer authorizes USDA or VDSS to replace SNAP benefits stolen through skimming or cloning. Once the money is gone, it is generally gone.
- Lock your card in the ConnectEBT app whenever you are not shopping. Locking does not block your monthly deposit from arriving, it only blocks spending.
- Change your PIN often, ideally right before your deposit date each month. Do it in the app or by calling 1-866-281-2448.
- Inspect card readers before you swipe. If the slot wiggles, looks bulky, or has an overlay, use a different lane.
- Cover the keypad with your other hand while entering your PIN.
- Ignore texts, calls, and emails asking for your card number or PIN. VDSS and ConnectEBT do not ask for your PIN.
- Report a suspected theft immediately to your local department of social services so the card can be canceled and an investigation opened.
Virginia SNAP Income Limits for FY2026
These limits are effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Virginia uses Broad Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) with a gross income test set at 200% of the federal poverty level, which is far more generous than the 130% federal standard. Virginia also has no asset test for most households.
Gross Monthly Income Limits
| Household Size | Federal Standard (130% FPL) | Virginia BBCE Limit (200% FPL) |
|---|
| 1 | $1,696 | $2,610 |
| 2 | $2,292 | $3,526 |
| 3 | $2,888 | $4,442 |
| 4 | $3,483 | $5,360 |
| 5 | $4,079 | $6,276 |
| 6 | $4,675 | $7,192 |
| 7 | $5,271 | $8,110 |
| 8 | $5,867 | $9,026 |
| Each additional | +$596 | +$918 |
Net Monthly Income Limits (100% FPL)
Nearly all households must also pass a net income test after deductions for housing, utilities, dependent care, and, for elderly or disabled members, medical expenses above $35 per month.
| Household Size | Net Monthly Limit |
|---|
| 1 | $1,305 |
| 2 | $1,763 |
| 3 | $2,221 |
| 4 | $2,680 |
| 5 | $3,138 |
| 6 | $3,596 |
| 7 | $4,055 |
| 8 | $4,513 |
Households with a member age 60 or older, or a member receiving disability benefits, skip the gross income test entirely and are judged on net income alone. Those households also get an uncapped shelter deduction, which matters if you pay high rent in Northern Virginia or Hampton Roads.
Maximum Monthly SNAP Benefit (FY2026)
| Household Size | Maximum Monthly Benefit |
|---|
| 1 | $298 |
| 2 | $546 |
| 3 | $785 |
| 4 | $994 |
| 5 | $1,183 |
| 6 | $1,421 |
| 7 | $1,571 |
| 8 | $1,789 |
| Each additional | +$218 |
Most households do not receive the maximum. Benefits are reduced by roughly 30 cents for every dollar of net income, so a family of four with $800 in net monthly income would receive approximately $994 minus $240, or about $754.
SNAP Rule Changes Affecting Virginia in 2025 and 2026
Federal work requirement changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect in late 2025 and apply in Virginia. Able bodied adults without dependents between 18 and 64 must work, train, or volunteer at least 20 hours per week or face a three month limit on benefits within a 36 month period. The dependent child exemption narrowed to children under 14, and exemptions that previously covered homeless individuals, veterans, and former foster youth were removed. States can still request waivers, but only for areas with unemployment above 10%. If you received a notice about work requirements, contact your local department of social services before your time limit runs out rather than after.
How to Apply for SNAP in Virginia
- Apply online at commonhelp.virginia.gov. CommonHelp screens for SNAP, TANF, energy assistance, child care assistance, and Medicaid in one application.
- Apply by phone through the Enterprise Customer Service Center at 1-855-635-4370, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Applications are accepted over the phone.
- Apply in person or by mail at your local department of social services. Virginia has a separate office for every city and county.
- Complete the interview. A caseworker will contact you by phone after your application is filed. Missing this call is the most common reason applications stall.
- Send in verification. Proof of identity, Virginia residence, income, and Social Security Numbers for household members.
- Wait for a decision. VDSS has 30 days to decide. Households with very little income or cash on hand may qualify for expedited benefits within 7 days.
Once approved, your first EBT card is mailed to you and your ongoing deposit date is set by your case number using the schedule at the top of this page. For more on assistance programs available across the commonwealth, see our Virginia benefits guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day does EBT deposit in Virginia?
Virginia deposits SNAP benefits on the 1st, 4th, or 7th of each month. Case numbers ending in 0 through 3 are paid on the 1st, case numbers ending in 4 or 5 are paid on the 4th, and case numbers ending in 6 through 9 are paid on the 7th.
Does Virginia use the case number or the Social Security Number for deposit dates?
Virginia uses the last digit of your SNAP case number. Your Social Security Number, birth date, and last name have no effect on your issuance date. Your case number appears on your approval notice and in your CommonHelp account.
Does Virginia EBT deposit on weekends and holidays?
Yes. Benefits post on the scheduled calendar date regardless of weekends or federal holidays. A deposit that falls on a Sunday or on January 1 is not moved.
What time do Virginia EBT benefits load?
There is no officially published time, but most cardholders see funds early in the morning on their deposit date, often just after midnight. If nothing has changed by mid afternoon, check your balance again at connectebt.com or by calling 1-866-281-2448.
What is the Virginia EBT customer service number?
Call 1-866-281-2448, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for balance inquiries, transaction history, PIN changes, and lost or stolen card reports. Spanish language service is at 1-800-897-0668.
Is the Virginia EBT schedule the same as West Virginia's?
No. These are two different states with two different systems. Virginia pays on the 1st, 4th, or 7th by case number. West Virginia uses its own separate issuance schedule, so do not use one state's dates to predict the other's.
My Virginia EBT benefits did not load. What now?
First confirm you are checking on the correct date for your case number. Then check your balance through both the phone line and the ConnectEBT app. If your scheduled date has passed and nothing arrived, call 1-866-281-2448 to see whether benefits were released, then call your local department of social services to check whether your case is pending a recertification or a missed interview.
Can I lock my EBT card and still receive my monthly deposit?
Yes. Locking your card in the ConnectEBT app blocks spending, not deposits. Your benefits still load on schedule while the card is locked, which makes locking between shopping trips one of the most effective ways to protect against skimming.
Will the new chip card change my deposit date?
No. Your issuance date stays tied to your case number. The chip card replaces your magnetic stripe card between October and December 2026, and you need to activate it and set a new PIN, but the day your benefits arrive does not move.
What are the SNAP income limits in Virginia for 2026?
Virginia uses a 200% federal poverty level gross income limit under Broad Based Categorical Eligibility, which is $2,610 per month for one person and $5,360 per month for a household of four for October 2025 through September 2026. Households must also pass a net income test at 100% FPL, and most Virginia households face no asset limit.
