For many families and people in Florida, it’s not easy to make money last. Things like food, rent, and power keep getting more expensive but wages go up very slowly. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits) is a program that helps those in need.
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) takes care of SNAP in the state. It works under rules made by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). DCF does everything from accepting applications to paying benefits.
More than just a program, SNAP is the help people need to make sure they can eat. It helps low-income families and gives them a way to stay away from poverty.
Who’s eligible for SNAP benefits in Florida?
The question of who can get SNAP benefits is often the first concern of people who need help. The process is very strict so that the people with the most need get the help.
The main point about who gets “food stamps” in Florida is that they are based on a group of things. First, you have to be a Florida resident and prove who you are and your legal status. DCF then has a detailed review of your finances.
This is more than a quick look at a pay stub. They look at: How many people in the home buy and make their own food. This is called the ‘household size’ by DCF. How much money you make before taxes or other things are taken out. This is called the ‘gross income’.
Gross and net income taken into account
How much of the gross income is left after other things are taken out. This is called the ‘net income’. How much money you have saved up. This money includes money in banks and things like savings accounts. But it does not include things like your home or most retirement accounts.
The things you are allowed to take out of your gross income are called the ‘deductions’. DCF takes out some of your wages, some dependents’ care costs if you work, some medical expenses if you are elderly or disabled, and some child support you are paying if you owe some.
People who are most likely to meet these rules are: Families who have children and do not make enough money or make money irregularly. Seniors who are on a fixed income like Social Security. People who are disabled and have medical bills or cannot work.
The special SNAP requirements for the ABAWDs
People who work but do not make enough money. There are special rules for ‘Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents’ (ABAWDs). These are people who are not working or studying at least part of the time. They must meet some work rules to keep getting SNAP benefits after 3 months. Florida has many rules that say you do not have to meet those work rules.
This is if you are homeless, in a drug or alcohol program, in some job programs, or live in an area with too many people without jobs.
How and when do SNAP benefits come?
SNAP benefits are not paid by check or direct deposit. The money is put on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card you use instead. The card works as a debit card, and you can use it at many stores and farmers’ markets.
In Florida, SNAP benefits are distributed from the 1st to the 28th of each month. The exact date a recipient receives their funds is determined by the 8th and 9th digits of their case number, read in reverse order.
The schedule for September 20 through September 28, 2025, is as follows:
- September 20, 2025 — Reverse digits 68–71
- September 21, 2025 — Reverse digits 72–74
- September 22, 2025 — Reverse digits 75–78
- September 23, 2025 — Reverse digits 79–81
- September 24, 2025 — Reverse digits 82–85
- September 25, 2025 — Reverse digits 86–88
- September 26, 2025 — Reverse digits 89–92
- September 27, 2025 — Reverse digits 93–95
- September 28, 2025 — Reverse digits 96–99
Maximum SNAP benefits valid in September
The following are the maximum SNAP benefit amounts for households with zero net income, effective until September 30, 2025:
- 1-person household: $292
- 2-person household: $536
- 3-person household: $768
- 4-person household: $975
- 5-person household: $1,158
- 6-person household: $1,390
- 7-person household: $1,536
- 8-person household: $1,756
- For each additional household member beyond 8, add $220 per person
SNAP benefits set to increase soon
Looking to the future: The 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) SNAP is changed each year to keep the money from not being enough. Each fall, the USDA says how much SNAP benefits will change based on the economy.
For 2026, starting October 1, 2025, SNAP will get a small increase, projected to be somewhere from 2.5% to 2.9%.. This change means the most money for a family of 4 will go up to about $994. These changes will happen on their EBT cards when they get their money for October 2025.
