The electronic issuance of benefits through EBT helps make sure that recipients receive their benefits on the scheduled payment date. If an EBT card is lost or stolen, the recipient can protect his or her EBT benefits by calling the Conduent customer service number at 1-888-328-7366 and canceling the cards. The recipient may get benefits remaining in the account after getting a replacement EBT card from Conduent Customer Service or his or her CAO.
7 CFR § 274.12(g)(5)(iv)
The following are the only situation in which the CAO may issue replacement benefits to the household:
The EBT system returned benefits because the account was inactive.
The household lost food in a disaster.
The $2.50 ACCESS card replacement fee was deducted from the recipient's EBT account in error.
There are no other times when replacement SNAP benefits may be issued.
7 CFR § 274.12(g)(5)(v) and 7 CFR § 274.6(a)
PFS18833580 SNAP benefits taken offline due to inactivity, February 22, 2018
There is no deadline or expiration date for EBT SNAP benefits. Benefits may accumulate in the recipient’s EBT account as long as the recipient keeps the account active by making at least one debit transaction every 180 days. If there is no debit activity for 180 days, the EBT account becomes inactive and the household's benefits are taken offline. These SNAP benefits are inaccessible to the household until they make a request to the CAO to have their SNAP benefits reissued.
The CAO must reissue benefits that are due to the household including returned benefits that have been posted in the benefit history and any new benefits that the household would be eligible for. The household must receive any benefits for their entire certification period. The CAO must use code 125 for a partial benefit return and code 126 for a full benefit return.
Example: A household’s certification period is December 1, 2017, through November 30, 2018. The household never uses their SNAP benefits and their EBT card becomes inactive in May 2018. The household contacts the CAO in July 2018 to request their benefits be restored. The CAO must reissue benefits from December 2017 through July 2018 to the household, and continue the original certification period.
If the overpayment is established in RMS, the CAO must remove or change the overpayment through the Automated Restitution Referral and Computation System (ARRC), using the ARCCHG screen. The replacement authorization will post to the recipient's EBT account the next day. The CAO must document the circumstances for these actions.
The time limit for replacement of returned benefits is one year from the date of original issuance.
7 CFR § 274.2(h)(2)
PFS15802580 Replacement SNAP Benefits for Food Lost in a Household Misfortune Revised June 25, 2015
The CAO may replace food destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster if all of the following conditions are met:
7 CFR § 274.6(a)
The CAO determines that food was destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster, such as a fire or flood.
7 CFR § 274.6(6)(ii)
The food was bought with SNAP benefits.
The CAO verifies the household misfortune or disaster through a collateral contact, documentation from a community agency, a home visit ,newspaper articles, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) websites, and power company websites. The CAO should call the recipient’s power company to verify that the household was without power. If the CAO has made every attempt to verify the recipient was without power but unsuccessfully, they may take the client’s statement.
7 CFR § 274.6(a)(6)
The household requests the replacement orally or in writing within 10 days of the disaster and completes an Affidavit for Replacement of Food Destroyed in a Household Disaster (PA 1896 English/ PA 1896-S Spanish) within 10 days of the reported food loss.
7 CFR § 274.6(a)(3) and 7 CFR § 274.6(a)(4)
NOTE: The replacement amount is limited to a maximum of one month’s benefit, unless the issuance includes restored benefits which can also be replaced up to their full value.
Reminder: There is no limit to the number of replacements for food lost because of a household misfortune or disaster. The CAO must use reason code 168 for replacement of food destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster.
7 CFR § 274.6(a)(3)(ii)
NOTE: A presidential or federal disaster declaration is not required to replace food lost in a household misfortune or disaster.
7 CFR § 274.6(a)(3)
Recipients may request a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged EBT ACCESS card. When the new card is issued, the EBT system deducts a card-replacement fee of $2.50 from the recipient’s cash account or, if there is no cash balance, from the recipient’s SNAP account. The CAO may waive the fee.
7 CFR § 274.12(g)(5)(v)
If the fee is deducted in error, the CAO may authorize a replacement using reason code 183. CIS limits this authorization to no more than $10.00.
Reissued March 9, 2018, Replacing February 1, 2013