Map Shows States Making SNAP Card Changes—What It Means For Your Benefits
Summary
Many U.S. states are replacing old SNAP payment cards that use magnetic stripes with new chip-enabled cards. These chip cards are safer and help reduce theft of food benefits for millions of Americans.Key Facts
- SNAP benefits help millions of Americans buy food using Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.
- Traditional EBT cards have magnetic stripes that criminals can copy using "skimming" devices to steal benefits.
- New chip-enabled cards create unique codes for each transaction, making them harder to copy and steal.
- New Jersey completed its statewide rollout of chip cards on September 10, followed by Virginia starting distribution between September and December.
- Other states with chip card programs include Alabama, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oklahoma.
- A Government Accountability Office report found over $320 million in SNAP benefits were stolen between October 2022 and December 2024.
- The federal reimbursement program for stolen benefits expired after December 20, 2024, which may leave some recipients without compensation.
- Switching to chip cards does not change the amount of benefits recipients have, and existing balances transfer to the new cards.
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