Louisiana Food Stamps and EBT Guide

If you are trying to see if you are eligible to apply for Food stamps in Louisiana (SNAP) or need more information about Louisiana EBT, you’ve come to the right place. The Louisiana food stamps and EBT program, also called the Food Assistance Program, is a federal nutrition program that helps low-income individuals and families buy food.

Food Stamps benefits can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, convenience stores, and some farmers’ markets.

The program is run at the state level by the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS).

If you apply and are approved for benefits, your monthly food stamps allocation will be given to you each month on a plastic card called an EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card, which works like a debit card.

We have provided below everything you need to know to successfully apply for food stamps. We have also explained how EBT Card works and what you can expect with your card if you are approved for food stamps.

Table of Contents:

• Should I apply for Louisiana Food Stamps?
• Who is Eligible for Louisiana Food Stamps?
• Louisiana Food Stamps Income Limit
• How Much Will I Receive in Louisiana Food Stamps?
• How to Apply for Louisiana Food Stamps
• How long to get Approved for Louisiana Food Stamps?
• What is the Louisiana EBT Card?
• What can I buy with EBT in Louisiana?
• Which Louisiana Grocery Stores Accept EBT Online?
• What time are Food Stamps EBT deposited in Louisiana?
• How to Check Louisiana EBT Card Balance?
• How Do I Get a Louisiana EBT Card Replacement?
• Louisiana EBT Card Discounts, Perks, and Freebies

Should I apply for Louisiana Food Stamps?

If you’ve hit tough times and are struggling to afford food for yourself or your family, you should consider applying for food stamps.

The food stamps program is a federal entitlement program. This means anyone who is eligible will receive benefits. You will not be taking away benefits from someone else if you apply.

In addition, the food stamps program is a nutrition program and not a welfare cash assistance program (which is called TANF). You do not have to be receiving TANF to get food stamps.

Who is Eligible for Louisiana Food Stamps?

To be eligible for food stamps in Louisiana, you have to meet the Gross Income, Net Income, and Asset tests.

Additionally, if your household has an elderly (over 60) or disabled member, you may be exempt from the Gross Income, Net Income, and/or Asset tests.

In Louisiana, eligibility for SNAP is limited to people with gross incomes up to 130% of the federal poverty line.

Also, your net income (Gross income minus allowable deductions) cannot exceed 100% of the poverty level.

Furthermore, able-bodied adults without dependents can only receive three months of benefits during any three-year period if they’re not working a minimum of 20 hours per week or participating in a training program.

Louisiana Food Stamps Income Limit

Below is the food stamps income limit for Louisiana. It is based on the number of people in your household.

For example, if you are a family of 4, you cannot make more than a gross income of $3,007 a month to qualify for food stamps.

Louisiana Food Stamps Asset Limit

Households not exempt from the asset or resource limit may have up to $2750 in resources.

This includes a bank account, cash, certificate of deposit (CDs), stocks, and bonds.

Additionally, non-exempt households that include at least one household member who is age 60 or older or includes a disabled member may have up to $4250 in resources.

How Much Will I Receive in Louisiana Food Stamps?

The amount of food stamps benefits a household gets depends on how many people are in the household and how much monthly net income remains after taking allowable deductions.

A family of 4 can receive a maximum food stamps benefit of $939.

Because food stamps households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their own resources on food, the amount of food stamps you get is calculated by multiplying your household’s net monthly income by 0.3 and subtracting the result from the maximum monthly allotment for your household size.

Louisiana Food Stamps Work Requirement

The state of Louisiana has very strict work requirements when it comes to eligibility for food stamps.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the work requirements below before applying for benefits.

Adults between the ages of 18-49 who do not have children and are not disabled will have to work at least 80 hours monthly to qualify for food stamps.

Those who do not meet the work requirements will only be allowed to collect SNAP benefits for three months over the next three years.

These work requirements have been in place since 1996, but the entire state of Louisiana has been exempted from the policy.

Options for meeting the work requirement include:

• Working in a job (for pay, for goods or services, or as a volunteer) for at least 80 hours per month
• Participating in an employment and training program for at least 80 hours per month
• Working or participating in any combination of the above for a total of at least 80 hours per month

How to Apply for Louisiana Food Stamps

There are 3 ways you can apply for food stamps in Louisiana.

Option 1 – Apply online

You can apply online through the Louisiana LA CAFÉ Portal – as shown in the image below.

If you have an account, you can log in or create your Louisiana LA CAFÉ Account. Click here to be taken to the website.

Option 2 – Apply at DCFS Office Near You

You can apply in person at the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) office near you. Click here to locate a DCFS office.

Option 3 – Download the Louisiana Food Stamps Application

You can download an application, complete it, and mail it to your county DCFS office or submit it in person.

How long to get Approved for Louisiana Food Stamps?

Generally, a decision will be made on your Louisiana food stamps application within 30 days of the day you submitted a COMPLETE application.

If your Louisiana SNAP application is still pending on the 21st day after your application date, an EBT card will be mailed to you automatically.

This is done to ensure you have a card in hand in case your application is ultimately approved so that you can access benefits more quickly.

However, no benefits will be loaded onto the card unless/until your application is approved.

Therefore you may receive a card with $0 benefits loaded onto it.

Your SNAP benefits would then be loaded onto the card the day after your application is approved.

Additionally, if your application is approved before the 21st day after your application date, an EBT card will be mailed to you the day after your application is approved.

The card will already be loaded with the amount of benefits for which you have been approved.

Can I get SNAP Benefits Sooner?

Yes. If your application meets the federal criteria for expedited services, an EBT card will be mailed to you when your application is received by DCFS.

What is the Louisiana EBT Card?

The Louisiana EBT Card, also known as the Louisiana Purchase Card is used to administer your monthly food stamps and cash benefits.

If you are approved for food stamps, your monthly food stamps allocation will be given to you each month on a Louisiana EBT Card, which works like a debit card.

You can access your SNAP and/or Cash benefits using your Louisiana Purchase Card and your 4-digit PIN.

What can I buy with EBT in Louisiana?

You are allowed to use your food stamps benefits card to buy foods that your household will prepare to eat at home, including the following

• breads and cereals
• fruits and vegetables
• meats, fish and poultry; and
• dairy products
• Seeds and plants to produce food for the household to eat
• Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream
• Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes
• Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label
• Energy drinks that have a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements and are therefore not eligible

What you CANNOT buy with EBT in Louisiana

Now that you know what you can buy with your SNAP card, here is the list of things you CANNOT buy with the card:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
• Any nonfood items, such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, diapers, and household supplies
• Vitamins and medicines
• Food that will be eaten in the store
• Hot foods
• Live animals

NOTE: In some areas, restaurants can be authorized to accept SNAP benefits from qualified homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.

Which Louisiana Grocery Stores Accept EBT Online?

The following grocery stores accept Louisiana SNAP EBT cards online for pickup and/or delivery.

• Albertsons
• Amazon
• Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy
• Sam’s Club Scan and Go
• Spring Market
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Super 1 Foods Brookshires
• Walmart
• Whole Foods

What time are Food Stamps EBT deposited in Louisiana?

SNAP benefits in Louisiana are sent out between the 5th and the 23rd of every month. The day your benefits are available on your Louisiana EBT Card is based on the last digit of your Social Security Number.

However, Louisiana SNAP recipients who are elderly (60+) or disabled will receive their food stamps benefits on the 1st through 4th of each month.

Here’s the complete SNAP EBT Schedule for Louisiana.

How to Check Louisiana EBT Card Balance?

There are three ways to check your Louisiana EBT Card balance.

Option 1

Call 1-888-997-1117 to check the balance on your Louisiana EBT Card.

Option 2

• You can check the balance online here.

Option 3

• You can also check the balance by locating your Last Receipt.

How Do I Get a Louisiana EBT Card Replacement?

To report your card lost, stolen, damaged, or not received in the mail call the Louisiana EBT Customer Service number at – 1-888-997-1117.

If your EBT card is stolen and benefits are used these benefits cannot be replaced.

You can also call the number above for the following:

• To report your card lost, stolen, damaged, or not received in the mail.
• To know the date your benefits will be available in your account each month.
• To know if your benefits have been deposited into your account and get your account balance.
• To hear your last 10 transactions.
• To file a claim if you question a transaction in your account.
• If you want to select or change your PIN.
• If your card does not work.
• To find the nearest location where you can use your card.
• If you have other questions about or problems with your card.

Louisiana EBT Card Discounts

Your Louisiana EBT Card comes with some perks, discounts, and freebies. This includes:

• 50% Discount on Amazon Prime Membership
• Discounts on Home or Cell Phone Service
• Up to $30 credit toward home internet service
• A one-time discount of up to $100 towards the purchase of a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer

For details on the SNAP EBT discounts and perks described above, continue reading below.

Sign up for Amazon Prime Discount for EBT Holders

Amazon.com has announced that beneficiaries enrolled in some government assistance programs can now get Amazon Prime subscriptions for $6.99 a month. EBT Cardholders are included in this offer.

This means that if you are currently receiving benefits on an EBT card, like Food Stamps, you can sign up for Amazon Prime discount for EBT holders. To sign up, click here to be taken to their sign-up page.

The regular Amazon Prime membership is $14.99 a month. However, if you have an EBT Card, you can get Prime Membership for $6.99. That’s over 50% off the regular price.

Discounts on Home and Cell Phone Services

If you are currently on Food Stamps, and your income is below a certain level, you may qualify for FREE or low-cost cell phone or home phone service for you or a member of your family through the Federal Lifeline Program, which serves nearly 13 million Americans.

The Lifeline Program program provides discounts on cell phone service or home phone service for qualifying low-income consumers, including those on Food Stamps.

Here are the companies that participate in the program in the state of Louisiana.

There are different companies providing cell phone (Mobile Service) and home phone service (Home Service). Be sure to view the “Type of Service” column to make sure you are selecting the right company.

• Home Service means that the provider offers Lifeline home phone or Internet service.
• Mobile Service means the provider offers Lifeline mobile phone or Internet service.

An asterisk (*) after the company name means that this service provider offers both ACP and Lifeline.

Discounts on Internet Service and Laptop/Tablet

If you are currently on Food Stamps, and your income is below a certain level, you may qualify for FREE or low-cost internet service and a one-time credit towards the purchase of a laptop or tablet. for you or a member of your family through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

How much of a discount will I receive on my Internet Service?

If your household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, you can receive:

• Up to a $30/month discount on your internet service
• Up to a $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
• A one-time discount of up to $100 towards the purchase of an eligible laptop, tablet, or desktop computer

For the companies that participate in the program in the state of Louisiana, see the Louisiana Low Income Free Internet Program guide.

Louisiana Food Stamps and EBT Summary

We hope this post on Louisiana Food Stamps and EBT was helpful.

If you have further questions about SNAP Benefits & EBT, or Personal Finance topics affecting low-income households, please let us know in the comments section below.

Be sure to check out our other articles on low-income personal finance. 

• WIC Program Eligibility
• How to file for Unemployment Benefits
• Way2Go Card California for Child Support
• How to Claim Earned Income Tax Credits