The Lone Star Card is Texas’s version of an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, used to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash benefits. It works like a debit card: you swipe it at a store’s card reader, enter your PIN, and the purchase amount is deducted from your benefit balance. If you’ve been approved for SNAP, TANF, or both in Texas, the Lone Star Card is how you receive and spend those benefits.
What You Can Buy With It
SNAP benefits on the Lone Star Card cover groceries and food items. That includes fruits, vegetables, bread, cereal, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, and snack foods like granola bars and popcorn. You can also buy garden seeds and food-producing plants. Certain beverages qualify too, including drinks that contain milk or milk substitutes, beverages with more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice, and drinks with natural sweeteners (like stevia) that have fewer than 5 grams of added sugar.
Starting April 1, 2026, new restrictions take effect. SNAP benefits can no longer be used to buy candy (including candy bars, gum, taffy, and chocolate-coated nuts or fruit) or sweetened drinks that contain 5 grams or more of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. That covers soda, most sports drinks, and juice blends that are less than 50% real juice.
SNAP benefits cannot be used for tobacco, alcohol, vitamins, medicines, or any non-food items. If your Lone Star Card also carries TANF cash benefits, those funds work more like a traditional debit account and can be withdrawn as cash or used for a broader range of purchases beyond food.
Income Limits for SNAP Eligibility
Your household income determines whether you qualify for SNAP benefits loaded onto a Lone Star Card. Texas uses gross monthly income limits based on family size:
- 1 person: $2,152 per month
- 2 people: $2,909
- 3 people: $3,665
- 4 people: $4,421
- 5 people: $5,177
- 6 people: $5,934
- 7 people: $6,690
- 8 people: $7,446
For each additional person beyond eight, add $757 to the threshold. These are general maximums, and some households may face additional eligibility criteria based on resources or other factors. Earning below the threshold doesn’t guarantee approval, but earning above it typically disqualifies you.
When Benefits Are Deposited
Benefits don’t all land on the first of the month. Texas staggers deposit dates across the month to spread out demand at grocery stores and reduce system overload. Your deposit date is based on your EDG number, which is the case number assigned when you’re approved for benefits.
TANF cash benefits are deposited during the first three days of the month. If the last digit of your TANF EDG number is 0 through 3, you receive funds on the 1st. Digits 4 through 6 get deposits on the 2nd, and 7 through 9 on the 3rd.
SNAP food benefits follow a wider schedule, spread from the 1st through the 28th of each month. The deposit date is determined by the last two digits of your SNAP EDG number. For example, if your EDG number ends in 00 through 03, benefits arrive on the 1st. If it ends in 50 through 53, they arrive on the 15th. The full schedule runs in increments of roughly three to four digits per day across the entire month. You can find your specific deposit date by checking the last two digits of your EDG number against the schedule published by Texas Health and Human Services.
How to Apply
You can apply for benefits online through YourTexasBenefits.com, the official portal run by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The site lets you submit an application, upload documents, and manage your benefits after approval. If you prefer to apply in person or need help with the process, you can visit an HHSC benefits office. The website has a “Find an Office” tool to locate one near you. Phone assistance is also available through HHSC or community partner organizations.
Once approved, your Lone Star Card is mailed to you. You’ll set up a four-digit PIN to use with the card at checkout. If your card is ever lost or stolen, you can request a replacement through the same online portal or by contacting HHSC directly.
Using the Card at Stores
The Lone Star Card is accepted at most grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores that participate in the SNAP program. Look for signs at the register or on the store’s entrance indicating EBT acceptance. At checkout, swipe the card (or insert it if the terminal supports chip cards), select the account you want to pay from (SNAP for food or TANF for cash), and enter your PIN. The purchase total is deducted from your balance immediately, and your receipt will show the remaining balance on each account.
If you’re buying a mix of eligible and ineligible items, the cashier will typically split the transaction. SNAP covers the qualifying food, and you pay for the rest with cash, a separate debit card, or your TANF account if applicable. You can check your current balance at any time through YourTexasBenefits.com, by calling the number on the back of your card, or by looking at your most recent store receipt.