Are You Eligible to Receive Food Stamps?
A food stamp household can be a person, family, or a group of people who live together and buy and fix their food together. You do not have to be related. Minors, spouses, and parents and their adult children under age 22 must apply as one household (if they live together), regardless of whether or not they prepare food together.
Income/ Resources
Eligibility is mostly determined by household income and resources. Households must not have more than:
- $2,000 in resources, such as a bank account.
- $3,000 in resources, if at least one person is disabled or is age 60 or older.
Some resources may not count, such as the value of the home a household lives in and the value of vehicles.
A food stamp household's income cannot exceed the gross and net limits for its size. The grid below shows what the income limits are for each household size.
| Household Size |
Gross Income Limits |
Net Income Limits |
| 1 |
$1,107 |
$851 |
| 2 |
$1,484 |
$1,141 |
| 3 |
$1,861 |
$1,431 |
| 4 |
$2,238 |
$1,721 |
| 5 |
$2,615 |
$2,011 |
| 6 |
$2,992 |
$2,301 |
| 7 |
$3,369 |
$2,591 |
| 8 |
$3,746 |
$2,881 |
| More than 8 |
Add $377 for each
additional person |
Add $290 for each
additional person. |
Effective October 1, 2007
Exceptions to Income Limits
Maximum income limits do not apply to households in which all members receive public assistance cash aid [such as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) or the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)]. Households with a member who is elderly (60 years old or older) or disabled have higher maximum income limits.
 Deductions from Income/Resources
The following are considered in determining your income status: work-related expenses, standard household expenses, dependent care costs, child support, and excess housing and utility costs.
Persons who are considered elderly (60 years old or older) or disabled are allowed a higher amount for shelter (housing) costs as well as a deduction for medical expenses over $35.
Citizenship/Alienage
United States citizens, naturalized citizens, U.S. nationals, and most non-citizen residents with permanent status are eligible for food stamps.
Receiving food stamps will not affect your immigration status or obtaining U.S. citizenship.
If You Are Eligible, What Is Your Allotment (the amount of food stamps you may be able to receive)?
The lower your income is, the more food stamps you may be eligible for (or allotted). The maximum allotment for the number of persons in a household is as follows:
| People in Household |
Maximum Monthly Allotment |
| 1 |
$162 |
| 2 |
$298 |
| 3 |
$426 |
| 4 |
$542 |
| 5 |
$643 |
| 6 |
$772 |
| 7 |
$853 |
| 8 |
$975 |
| Each additional person |
+$122 |
Effective October 1, 2007
Requirements
Finger Imaging
Most eligible adults must go through finger and photo imaging in order to receive food stamps. This is done to prevent duplicate benefits - the information will not be shared with any other government agency [such as Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS)].
Work Requirements
Some individuals in the food stamp household may have a work registration requirement, such as job training or searching. Individuals may be excused from participating in these programs for various reasons; for example, if you are under 18 years old and in school, a caretaker of a child under 6 years old, or disabled, you are exempt from the work program. If you don't cooperate when asked to participate in a work program, you may lose your food stamp benefits.
Act Now
If you think the Food Stamp program can help you or your family, visit or call and speak to our helpful and multi-lingual Human Services Agency staff .
Please note: Information on this web site is for reference only.
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