SNAP in Missouri: Income Limits, EBT Payment Dates and How to Apply
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SNAP in Missouri pays for groceries through the Missouri EBT Card. From October 1, 2026 the gross income limit is $1,729 a month for one person and $3,575 for four, the maximum benefit for a family of four is $1,023, and benefits land on the 1st through the 22nd. Every figure on this page is from USDA's FY2027 cost-of-living memo or Missouri's own SNAP pages, dated 2026-09-23.
| Program name | SNAP |
|---|---|
| EBT card | Missouri EBT Card |
| Apply | dss.mo.gov/food-assistance/apply-for-snap · 855-373-4636 |
| EBT card line | 800-997-7777 |
| Gross income test | 130% of poverty |
| Asset test | $3,000, or $4,750 with an elderly or disabled member |
| Payment dates | 1st to 22nd, by your birth month and the first letter of your last name |
Income limits in Missouri from October 1, 2026
Missouri is one of seven states that do not use broad-based categorical eligibility. That means the standard federal test applies in full: gross income at or below 130% of the poverty guideline, net income at or below 100% after deductions, and applies the federal asset limit: $3,000 for most households and $4,750 when a member is 60 or older or disabled.
| Household size | Gross monthly limit (130%) | Net monthly limit (100%) | Maximum benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $1,330 | $306 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $1,804 | $562 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $2,277 | $808 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $2,750 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $3,224 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $3,697 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $5,421 | $4,170 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $6,037 | $4,644 | $1,841 |
| Each additional | +$616 | +$474 | +$225 |
FY2027, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Income limits computed from the 2026 HHS poverty guideline the way USDA computes them. Households with a member who is 60 or older or disabled skip the gross test and face only the net test.
Net income in Missouri is figured after the $217 standard deduction for households of one to three, 20% of earnings, dependent care, and shelter costs capped at $769; the SNAP benefits guide walks through the arithmetic.
How Missouri compares
Missouri is one of seven states with no broad-based categorical eligibility at all, so it keeps both the 130% gross test and the $3,000 asset limit; 36 states and DC test gross income at 160% to 200%. Payments are spread over 22 days of the month, one of the longer windows; a household near the end of the alphabet or case-number range waits almost three weeks past the 1st. On accuracy, Missouri ranked 17 of 51 in FY2025 (1 is the lowest error rate).
When Missouri loads benefits
Per USDA's issuance schedule, Missouri pays on the 1st to 22nd, by your birth month and the first letter of your last name. Benefits post overnight and are spendable the next morning; unused benefits roll over month to month but are removed after nine months without use. USDA's published schedule has not been refreshed since 2021, so if a date matters, confirm it at dss.mo.gov.
How to apply in Missouri
- Apply online at dss.mo.gov/food-assistance/apply-for-snap, or call 855-373-4636. Paper and in-person applications also work; the date the office receives any signed application with your name and address is the date your benefits start from.
- Under $150 in monthly income and $100 or less in the bank, or income plus cash below rent and utilities? Say expedited; 7 CFR 273.2(i) requires benefits within seven days.
- Do the phone interview, send proof, and set a PIN on the Missouri EBT Card when it arrives.
Card problems, balances and PIN changes: 800-997-7777. A SNAP case also qualifies you for a free Lifeline phone; the carriers serving Missouri are ranked on our Missouri phone guide, and the paperwork is on free phone with food stamps.
Missouri specifics
- Missouri's SNAP payment error rate for FY2025 was 8.67% against a national 10.62%. Under the 2025 law, a rate in that band would put Missouri in the 10% cost-share tier when states start paying a share of benefits from October 2027. That is a budget question for the state, not a change to your eligibility, but it is why several states are tightening verification now.
- Local offices serve Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and every county; the state phone line above routes you to yours.
The 2025 federal law's changes, from the age-64 time limit to the end of the internet deduction, apply in Missouri as everywhere and are listed on the SNAP benefits guide. Health coverage for the same household is on the Missouri Medicaid page.
Common questions
What is the SNAP income limit in Missouri in 2026-27?
From October 1, 2026, $1,729 a month gross for one person and $3,575 for a household of four, which is 130% of the federal poverty guideline. Net income after deductions must also be at or below 100% of poverty: $1,330 for one person and $2,750 for four.
How much does SNAP pay in Missouri?
Up to $306 a month for one person and $1,023 for four in FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027); minimum $25 for one or two people.
When are SNAP benefits deposited in Missouri?
1st to 22nd, by your birth month and the first letter of your last name, per USDA's schedule, onto the Missouri EBT Card.
What is the Missouri EBT card called, and who do I call about it?
The Missouri EBT Card; card problems go to 800-997-7777 and case questions to 855-373-4636.
Sources
- USDA FNS: FY2027 SNAP cost-of-living adjustments
- Missouri SNAP program page
- USDA FNS: SNAP state directory
- USDA FNS: monthly issuance schedule
- USDA FNS: broad-based categorical eligibility chart (June 2026)
- USDA FNS: FY2025 payment error rates
Gov-Grants.org is an independent guide, not a carrier and not a government agency. We never charge fees, and every fact above links to its source with the date we checked it. Program details change; confirm on the official site before applying.