Appendix A: SNAP Vehicle Resource Guide

There are five steps in determining the value of vehicles.

1. Exclude one vehicle, licensed or unlicensed, per household regardless of use, equity, or fair market value and any licensed or unlicensed vehicle with an equity value of $1,500 or less.

2. Determine if any of the household’s vehicles are excludable. A vehicle is excludable if:

• It is used primarily for income-producing purposes (for example, a taxi);

• It annually produces income consistent with its fair market value (for example, a snow plow);

• It is needed for long-distance employment-related travel, other than daily commuting;

• It is used as the household’s home;

• It is needed to transport a physically handicapped household member (one exempt car per disabled member);

• It is needed to carry fuel or water that is the household’s primary source of fuel or water; or

• The household has less than $1,500 equity in it.

3. For vehicles that are not excluded under step 1, the vehicle’s fair market value (based on the used-car blue book or other approved source) must be evaluated. If the amount is greater than $4,650, the excess may be counted toward the household’s resource limit (see step 5). Under this step, each vehicle is evaluated separately against the $4,650 threshold. The values of multiple vehicles are not added together.

4. After determining the fair market value of cars that are not excludable under step 2, an equity value may also have to be determined for some of these cars.

a. Determine whether the vehicle is subject to the equity test. Cars exempt from the equity test include:

• One vehicle per adult in the household, regardless of the use of the vehicle; and

• Any additional vehicle a household member under age 18 drives to commute to employment or training or education.

b. Determine the equity value of any vehicle, licensed or unlicensed, not excluded under step 4a. Equity is the fair market value of a car less any encumbrances (for example, outstanding loan balances).

5. Count the appropriate amount toward the SNAP resource limit.

a. For each vehicle evaluated under steps 3 and 4, count the fair market value above $4,650 (step 3) or the equity value (step 4), whichever is higher.

b. Add up the values established for each car under step 5a.

c. Add the amount determined under step 5b to the value of the household’s other resources, and compare the result with the appropriate asset limit. If the total is no more than:

For Expanded Categorically Eligible:

• Households having an elderly and/or disabled member must have countable gross income less than or equal to 200% of the Federal Poverty income Guidelines (FPIG’s) and countable resources less than or equal to $9,000.

• Households not having an elderly and/or disabled member must have countable gross income less than or equal to 160  percent of the FPIG’s and countable resources less than or equal to $5,500.

For Non Categorically Eligible:

• Households having an elderly and/or disabled member who’s gross household income exceeds 200% of FPIG, must pass the net income test     of 100 percent FPIG and have countable resources not exceeding $3,750.    

• Households having a disqualified member must have countable gross income less than or equal to 130 percent of the FPIG’s and countable resources less than or equal to $2,500. 

NOTE:  There is no change to SNAP households with all SSI, Cash assistance, or Family Works members.  These households will not have to pass the gross or net income tests or a resource test.  The household meets the resource eligibility requirements for SNAP.

Please see the chart below for a summary of household resource limits:

NOTE:  The change from $3,500 to $3,750 was implemented October 1, 2021 as a result of the annual Mass Grant Change.

Reissued March 3, 2022,  replacing June 1, 2012