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Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Cards

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         EBT Card in wallet
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An electronic benefit transfer card or EBT card, also called the Kansas Benefits Card, provides​ recipients of  SNAP Food Assistance​SUN BucksTANF Cash Assistance , and  Child Care Assistance access to their benefits.

EBT Card Frequently Asked Questions​​​​​​​​​​
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  • When do my benefits get added to my EBT card?​​​
    Each month that you are eligible for benefits, your​ benefits will be added to your Kansas EBT account automatically. As your monthly benefits are added to your account, the balance on your card will go up. As you use your benefits, the balance will go down. ​
    • ​TANF Cash Assistance benefits and Child Care Assistance benefits are available on your card after 6 a.m. on the FIRST calendar day of the month, even if it is a weekend or a holiday.
    • SNAP Food Assistance benefits are issued based on the first letter of the primary applicant’s last name. Benefits are available at 6 a.m. on the benefit date, even if it is a weekend or holiday.

    ​​ ​If y​our last name starts​​ with:​
    ​You will get your benefits after 6:00 a.m. on the:
    ​A or B
    ​1st day of the month
    ​C or D
    ​​2nd day of the month
    ​E, F or G
    ​​3rd day of the month
    ​H, I or J
    ​​4th day of the month
    ​K or L
    ​​5th day of the month
    ​M
    ​​6th day of the month
    ​N, O, P, Q or R
    ​​7th day of the month
    ​S
    ​​8th day of the month
    ​T, U or V
    ​​9th day of the month
    ​​W, X, Y or Z
    ​​10th day of the month
  • ​​
    How will I know the balance on my EBT card?​
    ​There are several easy ways to check how much you have left in your account:​
    • ​Check your receipt from your last purchase; it shows your available balance. Always keep your receipts.
    • Log on to the Cardholder Login at ebtEDGE.com.
    • Use the ebtEDGE mobile app.
    • Call the toll-free EBT Customer Service number at 1-800-997-6666.
    • Use a Point-of-Sale (POS) machine. If you have your card with you, ask if the retailer or your provider will do a balance inquiry at the POS machine.​​
  • Can my EBT card be used in other states?​​​​

    The EBT card can be used in all states to access SNAP Food Assistance and SUN Bucks benefits. Some states may have restrictions that apply to the types of food items you can purchase with your SNAP Food Assistance and SUN Bucks benefits. Click here​ for more information on restrictions. 

    TANF Cash Assistance benefits cannot be used for online purchases or purchases at points of sale outside of Kansas.​ 

    Child Care Assistance can only be used to pay approved child care providers. Learn more about Child Care Assistance and how to find approved child care providers at childcareinkansas.com.​​
  • How can I manage my EBT card account?​​​

    ​You can manage your EBT card by using Fidelity Information Service’s (FIS) ebtEDGE mobile app or through the Cardholder Portal at ebtEDGE.com​

    By using ebtEDGE, you will have access to protection features to help keep your benefits safe, such as the ability to freeze your card or block your SNAP Food Assistance benefits from being used online or in another state.​

     
    ​FIS is DCF’s contractor for EBT. Third-party EBT apps do not provide the same protection features as ebtEDGE. The ebtEDGE app can be accessed in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.​
  • ​What if my EBT card does not work?

    Call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 and they will assist you. The EBT Customer Service phone number is also found on the back of your EBT card. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.​​​
  • How can I receive a new EBT card?

    If your card is lost, damaged, or stolen, call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 to get a replacement card.​​
  • Who do I contact if I move to a new address?
    ​EBT Customer Service cannot assist you with your addres​s change. If you have moved, call DCF at 1-888-369-4777 to report your new address.​​​
  • Who do I contact with questions about my EBT card?​
    ​​
    For questions about your EBT card, call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-666. The EBT Customer Service phone number is also found on the back of your EBT card. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.​​​

    DCF and FIS will never ask for your personal bank account information or routing number and does not offer EBT sweepstakes.

  • How do I use my​ EBT card to access my SNAP Food Assistance or SUN Bucks benefits?​​

    EBT cards function much like debit cards. Simply swipe your card at the store when purchasing food, and the cost is electronically subtracted from the card account.  ​

    You can also use your EBT card at select farmers markets in Kansas to purchase fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables. Breads, jams, meat, plants to grow food and other food items may also be purchased at farmers markets. Double Up Food Bucks provides information on how to double SNAP Food Assistance dollars at select grocery stores and farmers markets in Kansas and Missouri. 

    You can also use your EBT card to purchase groceries online at multiple retailers. Click here​ to find which retailers accept SNAP Food Assistance.​​
  • Do I have to use all of my benefits in the same month I get them?

    ​SNAP Food Assistance benefits stay in your account until you use them. However, if you do not use SNAP Food Assistance benefits for nine consecutive months, some (or all) of your benefits may be removed from your account for non-use. Once the SNAP Food Assistance benefits have been removed from your account for non-use, you cannot get them back.
     
    SUN Bucks benefits expire 122 days after they are issued, regardless of usage, so families must act quickly once the benefits are distributed.​
  • Where can I find more ​information about SNAP Food Assistance and SUN Bucks?

    Click here for additional information on SNAP Food Assistance. 
     
    For additional information on SUN Bucks, visit SUNBucks.dcf.ks.gov​.​​
  • How do I use my EBT card to access my TANF Cash Assistance benefits?

    EBT cards function much like debit cards. Simply swipe your card at the store when making a purchase, and the cost is electronically subtracted from the card account. Stores can also provide cash back. (Not all stores’ policies are the same and some may choose not to offer cash back. Kansas does not regulate individual store policies for cash back.)

    TANF Cash Assistance benefits can also be withdrawn at an ATM. For each withdrawal from an ATM, there will be a $1.00 transaction fee taken out of your cash account. Other ATM surcharges may apply. Kansas does not regulate individual ATM policies.

     For more information, review the Kansas Benefits Card User Brochure​.​
  • What can I buy with my TANF Cash​ Assistance benefits?

    ​You can use your TANF Cash Assistance benefits to purchase both food and non-food items. These benefits cannot be used in any retail liquor store, casino, gaming establishment, jewelry store, tattoo parlor, massage parlor, body piercing parlor, spa, nail salon, lingerie shop, tobacco paraphernalia store, vapor cigarette store, psychic or fortune telling business, bail bond company, video arcade, movie theater, swimming pool, cruise ship, theme park, dog or horse racing facility, pari-mutuel facility, or sexually oriented business or any retail establishment which provides adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment, or in any business or retail establishment where minors under age 18 are not permitted.​

  • Do I have to use all of my benefits in the same month I get them?

    These benefits roll over to the next month and remain available for use. TANF Cash Assistance benefits will expire if they are not used over a 120-day period​

  • Where can I find more information about TANF Cash Assistance?

    Click here​ for additional information on TANF Cash Assistance.​

  • How do I use my EBT card to pay my child care provider with my Child Care Assistance?
    You have several options for making Child Care Assistance payments to your provider.
    • ​Payment at a point-of-sale (POS) machine at the provider’s location if available.
    • By calling EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 and using the automated line to transfer funds over the phone.
    • Log on to the Cardholder Login at ebtEDGE.com to view transactions and transfer funds.
    • ​Transfer funds to your child care provider using the ebtEDGE mobile app.
  • W​hat if my Child Care Assistance doesn’t cover all of my child care expense?
    ​​
    If you have TANF Cash Assistance benefits available, you can use your cash benefits to pay your child care bill by using the POS machine at your provider’s location. You may also withdraw your cash benefits at an ATM or store to pay your provider in cash.


    If you do not have TANF Cash Assistance benefits, you can pay your provider with your own money by paying with cash or writing a check.
  • Do I have to use all of my benefits in the same month I get them​?

    ​These benefits roll over to the next month and remain available for use. Child Care Assistance benefits will expire within 120 days from the date they were issued and will be removed from your account.​​​
  • Can I withdraw my Child Care Assistance as cash?

    Child Care Assistance can only be used to pay child care providers and cannot be withdrawn as cash.​​
  • Where can I find more information about Child Care Assistance?

    ​Learn more on the Child Care Assistance page or by visiting childcareinkansas.com​.​​​

  • How do I protect the benefits on my EBT card?​

    ​Beware of phishing attempts: Do not share your EBT card info or the PIN over the phone or via text message. DCF and FIS will never call or text cardholders and explicitly ask for their card number or PIN. 

    Monitor your account and protect your benefits using the available features on the ebtEDGE mobile app or the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal at ebtEDGE.com​. You can:​
    • ​​Fr​eeze the EBT card when not using it. You must unfreeze the card when you are ready to make a purchase.
    • Block out-of-state and online transactions. You will have to unblock these transactions when you want to make an out-of-state or online purchase.
    • ​Keep your four-digit PIN (personal identification number) private and change it regularly. Never give your PIN to retailers or child care providers. Always enter your PIN yourself when making a purchase.​

     
    ​​Third-party EBT apps do not provide the same protection features as ebtEDGE​. The ebtEDGE app can be acces​sed in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
  • What is skimming?

    ​Skimming occurs when devices are illegally placed on point-of-sale terminals in stores, gas pumps and ATMs. These devices are difficult to detect because they’re designed to look like they’re part of the system. Skimming devices steal personal card information and capture the cardholder’s PIN entry.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’ Skimming web page​ provides information about skimming scams and what to look for on POS devices. ​
  • ​What is phishing, smishing, and vishing?​

    Phishing is a scam where bad actors use email to trick people into sharing personal information. For example, they may send an email posing as a DCF employee telling the victim they need to click on a provided link to confirm their status to maintain their eligibility or risk losing their SNAP benefits.

    Smishing is similar to phishing, but instead of an email the bad actor sends a text message to bait victims into clicking a link or calling a number.

    ​Vishing, short for voice phishing, includes the use of phone calls – generally with an automated message. Learn more about scams and how to protect yourself by visiting the Federal Bureau of Investigation’ Skimming web page​. ​
  • How do I report EBT card fraud?

    Report suspected fraud and request a new card by calling EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 or online at ebtEDGE.com. It takes 5-7 business days for a new card to be issued. During this time, you will not have access to your benefits.
  • What should I do if my EBT card is lost or stolen?

    Call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 to report the card lost, stolen, or damaged before a replacement card will be reissued. It takes 5-7 business days for a new card to be issued. During this time, you will not have access to your benefits.​
  • What if I forget my PIN or my PIN is compromised?

    Reset your PIN by calling EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666, through the web portal at ebtEDGE.com, or by using the ebtEDGE​ mobile app.​
  • How do I change my PIN?

    If you forget your four-digit PIN or want to change it, call EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-6666 to select a new PIN. You can also select a new PIN using the Cardholder Login at ebtEDGE.com​ or the ebtEDGE mobile app. Choose a combination of four numbers that is easy for you to remember, but hard for someone else to guess. Common PINs such as 1234 or 1111 are not allowed. ​
  • Will I be reimbursed if my benefits are stolen via skimming or cloning scams?

    A 2022 law that provided federal funds to replace Food Assistance (SNAP) and TANF Cash Assistance benefits stolen through card skimming, card cloning and other methods expired on Dec. 20, 2024. The law was not extended as part of the American Relief Act of 2025 bill signed into law on Dec. 21, 2024. That means federal funds are no longer available to replace benefits, and DCF cannot reimburse Kansas cardholders for stolen money.​


EBT Benefits Call Out Image ​
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Out-of-State Agency Case Status Verification Requests

If you are a representative from another state and need to verify the status of a benefit case in Kansas, please send case status requests to DCF.EBTMAIL@ks.gov. This email address is only monitored for out-of-state agency case status verification requests. Responses will be sent in an encrypted email to valid agency email addresses only.
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