If you receive Pennsylvania SNAP or Cash Assistance benefits and have an ACCESS EBT Card, there are several ways you can obtain the balance on your card. In this post, we will explain in detail the four ways you can check your Pennsylvania EBT Balance.
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsible for administering EBT benefits.
If you are approved for SNAP, TANF or Medical Assistance, your benefits will be deposited electronically on an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) or Pennsylvania ACCESS Card.
For instructions on how to check the balance on your Pennsylvania EBT Card, keep reading below.
This post on Pennsylvania EBT Balance will cover:
- What is Pennsylvania EBT Card?
- How to Check Pennsylvania EBT Balance
- Pennsylvania EBT Phone Number
- Pennsylvania EBT FAQs
What is Pennsylvania EBT Card?
EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer. If you have been approved to receive benefits from one of the programs listed below, you can will receive an EBT card from the DHS.
- Food Assistance – (SNAP) benefits.
- Cash Assistance – (TANF) or any other emergency or special cash benefits.
- Medical Assistance benefits
You use your Pennsylvania EBT card to buy groceries and other items with your cash benefits at participating stores and other locations.
For restaurants that accept Pennsylvania EBT card, see the FAQs below.
Pennsylvania EBT Balance Check
Here are the four (4) ways you can check the balance on your Pennsylvania ACCESS EBT Card.
Option 1 – Check your Last Receipt
The first option for checking your Pennsylvania EBT Card balance is to check your last receipt.
This is the easiest and quickest way to locate the current balance on your Pennsylvania EBT Card.
Once you locate your last receipt, the card balance will be listed at the bottom of your grocery store receipt or the ATM receipt if you also get cash benefits.
You should get in the habit of keeping your most current EBT receipt, that way, you always have a quick way to check your balance before you shop.
Option 2 – Login to Pennsylvania EBT Card Account
The second option for checking your Pennsylvania EBT Card balance is online through the ConnectEBT website.
To log in, click here, then enter your Ussr ID and Password as shown below.
Once logged in, you’ll be able to view your current balance and transaction history.
If you do not have a ConectEBT account, you can create one by clicking on the “Create User Account”, as shown below.
Additionally, you can follow our step-by-step process here to create a PA Connect EBT account.
Option 3 – Check PA ACCESS EBT Balance by Phone
Also, you can check your PA ACCESS EBT Card balance is by phone.
Call the EBT Customer Service number (1-877-395-8930) on the back of your card.
The Customer Service Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After you call, enter your sixteen (16) digit EBT card number and you will hear your current SNAP or cash account balance(s).
Option 4 – Check at an ATM or POS machine
Here is another option to check your PA ACCESS SNAP EBT balance or Cash Benefits EBT card balance:
First, you can check your cash account balance at an ATM or POS machine.
Additionally, you can check your SNAP account balance at a POS machine (cashier) at a store before making a purchase.
It is important that you always know your EBT card account balance before you shop.
Pennsylvania EBT Card Customer Service
Here’s the number to call if you are trying to reach Pennsylvania EBT Customer Service:
1-888-328-7366
You can call 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week
You can call the Pennsylvania EBT Phone Number if:
- Your card is lost or stolen.
- Your card does not work.
- You want to change your PIN because you forgot it or if
someone else knows your PIN. - You want to find out how much you have left in your account.
- You have been charged for a purchase but you didn’t get the food or
if you were charged too much for what you bought. - You have other questions or problems.
If you need further assistance with your SNAP benefits, please contact your local DHS office.
To find a DHS County Assistance Office near you, click here.
Pennsylvania EBT FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about Pennsylvania EBT:
What Fast Food Places Take Pennsylvania EBT/Food Stamps/SNAP?
The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) is a federal program that enables qualified elderly, disabled, and homeless food stamps recipients to buy food at authorized restaurants. Any state or county can enroll in the Restaurant Meals Program.
The purpose of the program is to help expand food access to those who do not have a place to store and cook food, who may not be able to prepare food or who don’t have access to a grocery store.
Not all states participate in the RMP.
Currently, the Restaurant Meal Program is running in the following states:
- California
- Arizona
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Michigan
- New York
- Rhode Island
In the state of Pennsylvania, some restaurants accept Food Stamp benefits from some homeless, elderly, or disabled people in exchange for low-cost meals.
Contact your County Assistance Office for a list of these restaurants.
Can you shop with Pennsylvania EBT Card online for Delivery?
Yes. As of November 2021, you can use your Pennsylvania EBT card to make purchases online for pick-up and/or Delivery at the following grocery stores:
- ALDI
- Amazon
- BJs Wholesale Club
- Giant Company, LLC
- Giant Eagle
- Martin’s
- Price Chopper Supermarkets
- ShopRite
- TheFreshGrocer
- Tops Market
- Walmart
What Can You Buy with Pennsylvania EBT?
According to guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers the food stamps/SNAP program, here is the list of items you are allowed to buy with your EBT Card.
What you CAN buy with EBT Card:
Foods for the household to eat, such as:
- bread and cereals;
- fruits and vegetables;
- meats, fish and poultry; and
- dairy products.
- Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.
What you CANNOT buy with EBT Card:
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
Any nonfood items, such as: - pet foods
- soaps, paper products
- household supplies
- Vitamins and medicines
- Food that will be eaten in the store
- Hot foods
Is there an app for Pennsylvania SNAP benefits?
Yes, the Pennsylvania DHS has created a mobile application, called the “myCOMPASS PA App”.
The mobile app is for Pennsylvanians who have applied for or get DHS programs or benefits.
This includes:
- SNAP (Food Stamps)
- Health Care Coverage (CHIP, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, etc)
- Cash AssistanceCash Assistance
- Child Care
- Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The app offers many of the same features found on the COMPASS portal, but right from your phone.
With the mobile application, you can now access your benefits from anywhere, whenever you want.
The myCOMPASS PA Mobile App is free to use and is available for download at the App Store for Apple devices or on Google Play for Android devices
With the myCOMPASS PA Mobile App, you can perform the following tasks by phone:
- See important details about your benefits.
- Check the status of your application.
- Find out when to renew.
- Upload, send, and view documents related to your application or benefits.
- Report changes to your addresses, emails, or phone numbers.
- Check status of benefits for which you’ve applied for.
Pennsylvania EBT Balance Summary
We hope this post on the Pennsylvania EBT Balance was helpful.
If you need additional help regarding Pennsylvania SNAP or EBT, please let us know in the comments section below.
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In the meantime, be sure to check out our other articles on Pennsylvania SNAP and EBT:
Pennsylvania SNAP Benefits FAQs
How to Create COMPASS Online Account
My COMPASS Account Login
How to get a Replacement ACCESS EBT Card
Pennsylvania EBT Card PIN Reset
PA County Assistance Office