SNAP December Payment Dates for Each State

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers crucial support to families who might otherwise struggle to afford groceries, with payments made once a month to all recipients.

SNAP, also known as food stamps, is the nation's largest nutrition assistance program. While the federal government funds the program, it is managed by each state and sometimes local governments, who set their own payment schedule, meaning not all recipients across the U.S. will get their money on the same date. Recipients access their benefits through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which are accepted at participating retailers and some online stores.

For instance, in California, individuals with a case number ending in 01 receive their benefits earlier in the month compared to those whose case numbers end in 99. In contrast, states like Connecticut and Delaware base payment timing on the first letter of the recipient's last name. Meanwhile, some states, such as Rhode Island and South Dakota, issue payments to all recipients on the same day.

Composite image created by Newsweek. SNAP payments are distributed monthly to all recipients. Photo Illustration by Newsweek

SNAP benefits will be paid on or between the following dates in each state and territory in December:

• Alabama: November 4 to 23
• Alaska: November 1
• Arizona: November 1 to 13
• Arkansas: November 4 to 13
• California: November 1 to 10
• Colorado: November 1 to 10
• Connecticut: November 1 to 3
• Delaware: November 2 to 23
• District of Columbia: November 1 to 10
• Florida: November 1 to 28
• Georgia: November 5 to 23
• Guam: November 1 to 10
• Hawaii: November 3 to 5
• Idaho: November 1 to 10
• Illinois: November 1 to 20
• Indiana: November 5 to 23
• Iowa: November 1 to 10
• Kansas: November 1 to 10
• Kentucky: November 1 to 19
• Louisiana: November 1 to 23
• Maine: November 10 to 14
• Maryland: November 4 to 23
• Massachusetts: November 1 to 14
• Michigan: November 3 to 21
• Minnesota: November 4 to 13
• Mississippi: November 4 to 21
• Missouri: November 1 to 22
• Montana: November 2 to 6
• Nebraska: November 1 to 5
• Nevada: November 1 to 10
• New Hampshire: November 5
• New Jersey: November 1 to 5
• New Mexico: November 1 to 20
• New York: November 1 to 9
• North Carolina: November 3 to 21
• North Dakota: November 1
• Ohio: November 2 to 20
• Oklahoma: November 1 to 10
• Oregon: November 1 to 9
• Pennsylvania: November 3 to 14
• Puerto Rico: November 4 to November 22
• Rhode Island: November 1
• South Carolina: November 1 to 19
• South Dakota: November 10
• Tennessee: November 1 to 20
• Texas: November 1 to 28
• Utah: November 5, 11 and 15
• Virgin Islands: November 1
• Vermont: November 1
• Virginia: November 1 to 7
• Washington: November 1 to 20
• West Virginia: November 1 to 9
• Wisconsin: November 1 to 15
• Wyoming: November 1 to 4

None of the scheduled payment dates above fall on any of the December holidays - Christmas Day and Boxing Day—but future payment dates may be subject to change in January due to New Year's Day.

The Department of Agriculture recently announced it would be reaching out to students across the country who may be eligible for SNAP benefits but are not currently receiving them. U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said that "almost one-quarter of college students experience food insecurity, and too many of these students who qualify for SNAP are not receiving benefits."