You cannot use mainland food stamps in Puerto Rico. SNAP EBT cards issued by any of the 50 states do not work at stores on the island, and there is no way to transfer a mainland SNAP case to Puerto Rico’s system. The island runs a separate program called the Nutrition Assistance Program, known locally as PAN (Programa de Asistencia Nutricional), and you have to apply for it as a new case once you live there.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Uses NAP, Not SNAP
Puerto Rico does not participate in SNAP. It receives a fixed annual block grant from the federal government and administers its own food assistance program through the Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF), which sits under the Department of Family Affairs.2Food and Nutrition Service. Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) Block Grants For fiscal year 2026 that block grant is approximately $2.98 billion.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico
NAP benefits are loaded onto an EBT card called the Tarjeta de la Familia, or Family Card. It functions like a debit card at authorized grocery stores and farmers’ markets across Puerto Rico.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico The Family Card only works at retailers inside Puerto Rico, and mainland SNAP cards, which are interoperable across all 50 states, are not part of that same network.3U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Implementing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Puerto Rico – A Feasibility Study
If You Are Moving from the Mainland to Puerto Rico
Your SNAP benefits stop being usable the moment you arrive. There is no case transfer between the two programs. You will need to apply for NAP as a new resident and go through Puerto Rico’s full application and interview process. Expect a gap. Plan food costs for at least the first month you are on the island.
Before you leave the mainland, close out your SNAP case with the state you are leaving so benefits are not issued to a card you can no longer use.
If You Are Moving from Puerto Rico to a State
The Family Card will not work at stores in any state or other U.S. territory. You will need to apply for SNAP in whichever state you move to. Each state runs its own SNAP office and processing times vary, so a gap in benefits is possible in this direction too.
How NAP Compares to SNAP
The two programs do not offer the same thing. Both maximum income limits and maximum benefit amounts under NAP are lower than the SNAP equivalents.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico The eligibility test also works differently: NAP has no gross income test, only a net income test, while SNAP uses both.
NAP includes two bonuses worth knowing about. Elderly households get a 20 percent boost to their monthly benefit, and all NAP participants receive an additional 4 percent when they shop at designated Family Markets (Mercados Familiares) that sell locally grown food.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico
Because the block grant is capped, exact income thresholds and benefit amounts are set by ADSEF through an annual plan of operation approved by USDA and can change from year to year. Verify current numbers with ADSEF before assuming you qualify.
How to Apply for NAP Once You Live There
To qualify you have to be a Puerto Rico resident, meet the income limit for your household size, and be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. Puerto Rico residents are U.S. citizens by birth, so the citizenship requirement mostly affects noncitizens on the island. A household is defined as people who live together and share meals; their combined income and size determine both eligibility and benefit amount.
You can submit an application four ways:
- Online through the ADSEF portal, where you can create an account, upload documents, and schedule a virtual interview.
- In person at any local ADSEF office or service center.
- By phone at 787-289-7600.
- By mail or fax to your local ADSEF office.
Whichever route you use, you will need proof of identity, verification of your Puerto Rico address such as a utility bill or lease, income documentation like pay stubs, information on everyone in your household, and details on assets such as bank accounts. A caseworker will interview you to verify the information. Most applications are processed within 30 days, and approved households receive the Family Card by mail.
Disaster Food Assistance Works Differently
Puerto Rico is not eligible for Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP), the program that lets mainland SNAP recipients replace food lost in a disaster and that extends temporary benefits to households who do not normally qualify.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summary of Nutrition Assistance Program – Puerto Rico Because Puerto Rico does not participate in SNAP, disaster food aid on the island depends on Congress approving additional NAP funding after each event and on USDA approving a spending plan before money can flow. After Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Congress appropriated roughly $1.27 billion in supplemental NAP funding, but Puerto Rico did not begin using those funds until March 2018.