In North Carolina, SNAP is called Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). Apply online at ePASS (epass.nc.gov), or by phone or in person through your county Department of Social Services (DSS). Most households qualify with gross income up to 200% of poverty, about $5,500 a month for four from October 2026, and there’s no asset test for most. Your benefits count from the day the county receives your application, even if it’s not complete, so file early.
About 1.25 million North Carolinians got FNS in June 2026. People still search for “NC food stamps,” and it’s the same program: North Carolina SNAP under a state name.
North Carolina FNS at a glance
| North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Program name | Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) |
| Run by | County DSS offices, supervised by NCDHHS |
| Apply online | ePASS: epass.nc.gov |
| Help lines | Customer service 1-800-662-7030; EBT Call Center 1-866-719-0141 (weekdays) |
| EBT card services | 1-888-622-7328 (24/7), ebtEDGE website and app |
| Gross income limit | 200% of poverty for most households |
| Asset test | None for most; $3,000 (more if 60+ or disabled) otherwise |
| Deposit days | 3rd to 21st, by last digit of SSN |
| Renewals and changes | ePASS enhanced account, or your county DSS |
| Job program | More Than A Job NC |
| Summer EBT 2026 | Yes, and funded for 2027 |
North Carolina income limits
| Household size | 200% limit, Jan to Sept 2026 (NCDHHS) | 200% limit from Oct 1, 2026 (estimate) | Maximum benefit from Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,610 | $2,660 | $306 |
| 2 | $3,526 | $3,608 | $562 |
| 3 | $4,442 | $4,554 | $808 |
| 4 | $5,360 | $5,500 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $6,276 | $6,448 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $7,192 | $7,394 | $1,463 |
| 7 | $8,110 | $8,340 | $1,616 |
| 8 | $9,026 | $9,288 | $1,841 |
The first column is from NCDHHS’s caseworker desk reference. The October 2026 column is our estimate from USDA’s new poverty figures; check your county’s number once NCDHHS updates.
Documents to have ready
You must have a Social Security number, or proof you’ve applied for one, for each person applying. The state application (DSS-8207) also asks for proof such as:
- Pay from the last 30 days for anyone who works
- Self-employment tax records, or 12 months of business records
- Child support you pay or receive
- Medical bills, if someone is 60+ or disabled (these can raise your benefit)
- Rent, utility and child care costs
Don’t hold your application while you hunt for papers. The form says you can turn proof in later, and your benefits count from the day the county gets the application.
How to apply
- ePASS online. Check eligibility and apply.
- County DSS: apply in person or by phone. Find your office in the NCDHHS county directory.
- Interview with your county; see SNAP interview tips.
- Decision within 30 days, or 7 days for expedited SNAP.
You can also print the paper application and mail, fax or drop it off at your county DSS. The 30-day clock starts once the county has a form with your name, address and signature.
Renewing FNS in North Carolina
Near the end of your certification period, your county mails a renewal form (DSS-2435) in the month before your benefits expire. If you have an enhanced ePASS account linked to your case, you’ll also see an Online SNAP Recertification task in your ePASS inbox and can finish it there.
Timing matters:
| When the county gets your renewal | What NCDHHS calls it |
|---|---|
| By the 15th of the last month of your certification | Timely |
| After the 15th of that month | Untimely |
| During the month after your certification ends | Late |
A timely renewal gives the county time to keep your benefits going without a gap. See SNAP recertification for interview tips and what to send.
Reporting changes
North Carolina lets you report changes online through an enhanced ePASS account. From the dashboard, pick “Tell us if anything has changed,” then “Report changes for FNS or SNAP.” You can update your address, rent, utilities, child care, child support, jobs, income, medical costs and more.
Three changes must be reported by the 10th of the month after they happen:
- Your household’s income goes over the limit for your size
- A person under the work time limit drops below 80 hours of work a month
- Someone wins a large lottery or gambling prize
If you can’t use ePASS, mail, fax or bring the change to your county DSS, or call your caseworker. Reporting a drop in income or a rent increase can raise your benefit, so it’s worth doing. More: SNAP reporting changes.
When benefits load
| Last digit of SSN | Day |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3rd |
| 2 | 5th |
| 3 | 7th |
| 4 | 9th |
| 5 | 11th |
| 6 | 13th |
| 7 | 15th |
| 8 | 17th |
| 9 | 19th |
| 0 | 21st |
Benefits are available after 6 a.m., including weekends and holidays. Most states load at midnight, so if you check at 2 a.m. and see nothing, wait. See the EBT deposit schedule and how to check your EBT balance.
SUN Bucks: funded through 2027
North Carolina paid $120 per child for summer 2026. The first round reached more than 1 million children ($121 million) starting June 1, and the state budget signed in July 2026 funds SUN Bucks for summer 2027 too. Questions: 1-866-719-0141, option 2. See Summer EBT.
Work rules and immigrant changes
- Work time limit: North Carolina expanded it on December 1, 2025 to adults 18 to 64 without a child under 14 at home. You need 80 hours a month of work, volunteering or training. The state’s employment program, More Than A Job NC, can help. See SNAP work requirements.
- Noncitizens: new federal rules took effect February 1, 2026, and are checked at each household’s next recertification. See SNAP for immigrants.
Who pays for SNAP’s new costs in North Carolina
Here’s something unusual: North Carolina’s 2026 budget law (Session Law 2026-41) shifts much of the new cost to counties. For the administrative share that rises in October 2026, counties pay about $52 million in fiscal 2027 and the state about $12 million, according to UNC’s School of Government. If the state later owes a share of benefit costs, it would withhold county sales tax to cover it. North Carolina’s FY2025 error rate was 7.36%, which would mean a 5% share; the governor’s office says its error-rate work lowered the potential penalty by $280 million.
Example
A single dad in Charlotte with two kids earns $3,800 a month. That’s over the federal 130% limit ($2,960 for three) but under North Carolina’s 200% level (about $4,554), so he passes the gross test. After the 20% earnings deduction, the standard deduction, child care and rent, his net income decides his benefit. Say he pays $400 a month for child care and his rent plus the county’s utility figure is $1,400, using the federal amounts from October 1, 2026:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $3,800 |
| Minus 20% earned income deduction ($760) | $3,040 |
| Minus standard deduction for 3 ($217) | $2,823 |
| Minus child care ($400) | $2,423 |
| Excess shelter: $1,400 minus half of $2,423 ($1,211.50) | $188.50 |
| Net income: $2,423 minus $188.50 | $2,234.50 |
| 30% of net income, rounded up | $671 |
| Monthly FNS: $808 maximum minus $671 | $137 |
In Georgia, with its 130% limit, he’d get nothing. In North Carolina he gets $137 a month. See SNAP for families with children.
What FNS can buy in North Carolina
North Carolina has no soda or candy restriction. NCDHHS says your EBT card can buy bread, cereal, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, dairy, bottled water, non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds and plants that grow food. It can’t buy beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, pet food, soap, household supplies, vitamins, medicine, or hot and ready-to-eat foods. North Carolina isn’t in the Restaurant Meals Program.
Other help for NC families
- Work First: North Carolina’s TANF cash program, run by county DSS. Apply at DSS or through ePASS. Parents sign a Mutual Responsibility Agreement, and families can get up to 24 months of help after the work phase starts, within the federal 60-month lifetime limit. See SNAP vs TANF.
- WIC: for pregnant and postpartum women, babies and children under 5. NC WIC says anyone on FNS, Medicaid or Work First automatically meets its income rule. Fill out the online NC WIC referral form (a clinic contacts you within 20 days) or call 1-844-601-6881. See WIC vs SNAP.
- Free government phones in North Carolina: FNS qualifies your household for Lifeline, a discount of up to $9.25 a month on phone or internet service. Several companies offer free smartphones with it in NC. See how to apply for Lifeline.
During the 2025 shutdown
On November 7, 2025, North Carolina loaded about 65% of benefits for more than 586,000 households, paused after a court order the next day, and loaded full November benefits on November 14 after the shutdown ended.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NC food stamps phone number? For general questions, call NCDHHS Customer Service at 1-800-662-7030. For benefit and SUN Bucks questions, the NC EBT Call Center is 1-866-719-0141 (7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays). For a lost card, PIN or balance, call EBT Card Services at 1-888-622-7328, any time. Your county DSS handles your actual case.
How do I apply for food stamps in NC? Apply on ePASS (epass.nc.gov) or at your county DSS in person, by mail or by fax. Then complete your interview.
What’s the income limit for food stamps in NC? Most households can have gross income up to 200% of poverty, about $5,500 a month for four from October 2026. Net income after deductions sets how much you get.
How do I check my NC EBT balance? Use the ebtEDGE website or app, or call 1-888-622-7328.
Can I get a free phone with EBT in NC? Yes. FNS qualifies you for Lifeline. You apply through a Lifeline phone company or the National Verifier, one benefit per household.
Why is it called FNS instead of SNAP? It’s North Carolina’s name for the same federal program. The rules, EBT card and benefit amounts follow federal SNAP law.
More states and topics: SNAP and EBT guides. Every state’s portal: how to apply for SNAP. SNAP also qualifies you for a Lifeline free government phone plan.