Accept EBT SNAP payments
About EBT SNAP payments
With Square you can accept EBT SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) payments in person using your Square Register, Square Handheld, or Square Terminal. SNAP customers pay with their government-issued EBT card, and you can keep their checkout experience in one place instead of sending them to a separate terminal.
With EBT SNAP on Square, you can:
Mark items in your catalog as SNAP-eligible so Square can determine what can be paid for with EBT at checkout.
Show SNAP-eligible items on buyer-facing displays when you build a cart.
Show EBT-eligible amounts when you built a cart.
Show EBT SNAP amounts and remaining balance on receipts, helping buyers keep track of their benefits.
Before you begin
EBT SNAP payments are accepted on Square Register, Square Terminal, Square Handheld. EBT payments aren’t available on Square Stand or other iOS devices at this time.
If you use newer chip-and-tap–only devices such as Square Register or Square Terminal, you’ll also need a compatible Square Reader to swipe EBT cards.
You need an active FNS (Food and Nutrition Service) number issued by the USDA to accept SNAP benefits. If you don't have one, review eligibility and apply for an FNS number on the USDA website before completing setup.
You need to mark items as SNAP eligible in your Dashboard in order to process EBT payments. EBT SNAP can’t be used for custom amounts. Learn how to create and edit items.
EBT SNAP payments require a live network connection. You cannot process EBT SNAP transactions in offline mode.
Square does not support EBT Cash (TANF) payments.
After a successful EBT payment, the remaining balance will be displayed on the receipt.
EBT processing fee is 1.8% + 5¢ (waived during open beta).
Step 1: Enable EBT SNAP for your location
Before you can accept EBT SNAP payments, you need to submit your FNS number and enable EBT SNAP for each location where you want to accept it.
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Settings > Account & Settings > My Business > Locations.
Select the location you want to enable EBT SNAP at.
Select Payment Methods to open the Payment Method settings.
Select Apply next to EBT SNAP.
Enter your store email and your FNS number exactly as issued by the USDA.
Review the information and submit your application.
Check back to confirm your FNS number has been verified and EBT SNAP is enabled for the location.
Once enrollment is approved, repeat this process for each additional location where you want to accept EBT SNAP. EBT SNAP will only appear as a payment option at checkout when the location has EBT SNAP enabled and the device is on a supported app version.
If your FNS number becomes inactive or expires, EBT SNAP transactions will be declined. Contact the USDA to restore your authorization, then update your FNS number in Square Dashboard and re-submit enrollment for the affected locations.
Step 2: Mark items as SNAP-eligible
Before you can accept EBT SNAP at checkout, you need to mark the items in your catalog that qualify for SNAP benefits. You are responsible for tagging items correctly according to USDA SNAP eligibility rules for your state.
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items > Item library.
Click an item you want to mark as SNAP-eligible.
In the EBT / Assistance programs section, toggle on SNAP eligible.
If you have multiple locations, select the locations where the item should be SNAP-eligible.
Click Save.
Repeat for each SNAP-eligible item in your catalog.
If you're unsure whether an item qualifies, refer to the USDA SNAP eligibility guidance for your state's SNAP rules. If you have numerous items to update:
Method 1: Update SNAP eligibility using a CSV import
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items > Item library.
Select Actions > Export library to download your items to a CSV file.
Update the SNAP Eligible column based on your item list.
Select Actions > Import library to re‑import the CSV.
Spot‑check a few items to confirm the items are marked correctly.
Method 2: Update SNAP eligibility directly from Item Library
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items > Item library.
Select items you wish to update SNAP Eligibility for.
Select Actions > Update SNAP Eligibility.
Spot‑check a few items to confirm the items are marked correctly.
Step 3: Take an EBT SNAP payment
Once EBT SNAP is enabled for your location and your items are tagged, you can start accepting EBT SNAP payments on your Square Register.
Follow these steps to accept EBT payments:
- Open the Square Point of Sale and add SNAP-eligible items to the cart.
- Tap Charge.
- Ask the customer to swipe, insert, or tap their EBT card on the buyer-facing screen, then enter their PIN.
- Wait for the approval message and confirm the amount charged. Sales tax is automatically removed from EBT SNAP purchases for eligible items.
- If the customer has insufficient funds, the amount taken will be adjusted down to use their remaining balance.
- If there is a remaining balance or there are non-SNAP eligible items in the cart, they will be prompted for a second payment with a non-EBT method.
- Send or print the receipt. EBT SNAP receipts include the amount paid with EBT SNAP, the remaining SNAP balance (when provided by the network), and a hidden EBT card number.
When your cart contains both SNAP-eligible and non-eligible items, you can use EBT split tender to pay for everything in a single checkout. Square automatically separates the eligible items and applies EBT to the SNAP-eligible portion. Sales tax is automatically removed from EBT SNAP purchases for eligible items.
To complete a split tender sale:
- Add all items (SNAP-eligible and non-eligible) to the cart.
- Tap Charge.
- Select EBT SNAP as the first payment method. Square applies the EBT amount to the SNAP-eligible items only.
- Ask the customer to swipe or insert their EBT card and enter their PIN.
- After the EBT portion is approved, select a second payment method (card, cash, or another tender) to cover the remaining balance.
- Complete the second payment. The receipt shows a breakdown of the EBT SNAP amount and the second tender amount.
Step 4: Issue a refund for an EBT SNAP purchase
Amounts paid with EBT SNAP must be refunded to the same EBT card. You can't refund EBT SNAP purchases to cash, gift cards, or store credit per SNAP program rules. Sellers are responsible for ensuring that refunds are processed correctly. To issue a refund:
Open the Square Point of Sale app and go to your transaction history.
Locate the original EBT SNAP transaction.
Select Issue refund and follow the prompts.
If required, ask the customer to present their EBT card again to complete the refund.
The receipt will show an EBT refund line for the amount returned to the EBT account.
Review compliance responsibilities
Sellers are responsible for how EBT SNAP payments are accepted at your business. Key obligations include:
Tag items correctly. Only mark items as SNAP-eligible when they meet SNAP rules for your state. Review your tags whenever your menu or inventory changes. Charge SNAP only for eligible items. Use separate transactions so non-eligible items are never paid for with EBT SNAP.
Refund to the EBT card. Amounts paid with EBT SNAP must always be refunded to the same EBT account.
Keep your FNS number active. If your FNS number changes, is revoked, or expires, update it in Square Dashboard and re-submit enrollment. EBT SNAP transactions will be declined if your FNS number is inactive.
Protect card data. Do not store full EBT card numbers or PINs. If you send screenshots to Square Support, blur or crop any card details.
Follow local SNAP rules. SNAP eligibility rules and refund windows can vary by state. You are responsible for knowing and following the rules that apply to your locations. Visit the SNAP State Directory of Resources for more information.
Meet SNAP training expectations: Make sure owners and employees who handle SNAP transactions are trained on applicable SNAP program rules and maintain training practices consistent with USDA expectations. Review the USDA’s SNAP retailer training expectations and resources for complete and current information.