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 snowplow);

• It is used by a migrant or seasonal farm worker to travel from job to job;  

• 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 disabled 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. If there are encumbrances, the equity value on the vehicle must be computed to determine whether the excess fair market value or the equity value will be used as the resource amount.

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

a. Determine whether the vehicle is subject to the equity test. Vehicles 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; and

• Any vehicle already determined to be excluded from the resource determination.

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

5. Count the appropriate amount toward the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (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 vehicle 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:

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) 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 200% of the FPIG and countable resources less than or equal to $5,500.

For Non-Categorically Eligible:

• Households having an elderly and/or disabled member whose countable gross income exceeds 200% of the FPIG must pass the net income test of 100% of the FPIG and have countable resources less than or equal to $4,500.
• Households having a disqualified member must have countable gross income less than or equal to 130% of the FPIG and countable resources less than or equal to $3,000.

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 households meet the resource eligibility requirements for SNAP.

The below chart provides a summary of resource limits per household type:

*The change from $4,250 to $4,500 was implemented October 1, 2024, as a result of the annual grant mass change.

Updated March 13, 2026,  replacing September 30, 2024