Still Waiting for May SNAP? See When Yours Arrives

Emily Chang
Published Jan 15, 2026


The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps families with little or no income cover the cost of groceries. Each month, money is loaded onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used to purchase food at stores approved for the program.

Check out: Everything You Need to Know about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

For May 2025, SNAP benefits will be issued at different times depending on where you live. Some states decide the payment date based on details like the recipient's case number.

For example, in California, people with case numbers ending in “01” receive their benefits earlier in the month than those whose case numbers end in “99.”

Other states, like Delaware and Connecticut, issue payments based on the first letter of the recipient's last name. States with smaller populations, such as Alaska and South Dakota, distribute benefits on one specific day for everyone.

Below is a state-by-state breakdown of the payment schedules for May 2025.
 

SNAP Payment Dates by State/Territory

 
  • Alabama: May 4 to 23
  • Alaska: May 1
  • Arizona: May 1 to 13
  • Arkansas: May 4 to 13
  • California: May 1 to 10
  • Colorado: May 1 to 10
  • Connecticut: May 1 to 3
  • Delaware: May 2 to 23
  • District of Columbia: May 1 to 10
  • Florida: May 1 to 28
  • Georgia: May 5 to 23
  • Guam: May 1 to 10
  • Hawaii: May 3 to 5
  • Idaho: May 1 to 10
  • Illinois: May 1 to 20
  • Indiana: May 5 to 23
  • Iowa: May 1 to 10
  • Kansas: May 1 to 10
  • Kentucky: May 1 to 19
  • Louisiana: May 1 to 23
  • Maine: May 10 to 14
  • Maryland: May 4 to 23
  • Massachusetts: May 1 to 14
  • Michigan: May 3 to 21
  • Minnesota: May 4 to 13
  • Mississippi: May 4 to 21
  • Missouri: May 1 to 22
  • Montana: May 2 to 6
  • Nebraska: May 1 to 5
  • Nevada: May 1 to 10
  • New Hampshire: May 5
  • New Jersey: May 1 to 5
  • New Mexico: May 1 to 20
  • New York: May 1 to 9
  • North Carolina: May 3 to 21
  • North Dakota: May 1
  • Ohio: May 2 to 20
  • Oklahoma: May 1 to 10
  • Oregon: May 1 to 9
  • Pennsylvania: May 3 to 14
  • Puerto Rico: May 4 to May 22
  • Rhode Island: May 1
  • South Carolina: May 1 to 19
  • South Dakota: May 10
  • Tennessee: May 1 to 20
  • Texas: May 1 to 28
  • Utah: May 5, 11, and 15
  • Virgin Islands: May 1
  • Vermont: May 1
  • Virginia: May 1 to 7
  • Washington: May 1 to 20
  • West Virginia: May 1 to 9
  • Wisconsin: May 1 to 15
  • Wyoming: May 1 to 4
 

Possible Changes to SNAP Benefits


While May 2025 payments are expected to proceed as usual, there could be changes to SNAP in the future. A budget passed by the House of Representatives proposes cutting $230 billion in spending between now and 2034. Although SNAP isn’t specifically mentioned in the bill, the program could be affected.

Additionally, some Republican-led states are discussing whether to limit what items can be purchased with SNAP benefits, such as banning soda or candy. Other lawmakers are considering expanding SNAP access, like allowing the use of benefits to purchase meals in restaurants.

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