Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks, is a federally funded grocery benefit that provides $120 per eligible school-age child to help cover food costs while school is out for the summer.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT The program is voluntary for states, so it does not operate everywhere. In states that do participate, most eligible children are enrolled automatically and their families never file an application.
Which Children Qualify
Children in households already receiving SNAP, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations are automatically enrolled in participating states.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT No separate paperwork is required. Benefits either load onto the household’s existing EBT card or arrive as a new card in the mail.
Children outside those programs can still qualify if they attend a school offering the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and the household income falls within the free or reduced-price meal range.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT That cutoff is 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. For the 2026–2027 school year, USDA uses this threshold for Summer EBT alongside free and reduced-price meal eligibility.2Food and Nutrition Service. Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2026-2027) For a family of four, that works out to roughly $61,050 per year.
Children who are homeless, in foster care, or from migrant families qualify regardless of household income documentation. These are the same categories that receive free school meals during the regular school year.
Immigration or citizenship status is not a factor. Receiving Summer EBT does not affect anyone’s immigration status and does not count toward a public charge determination.
Whether Your State Runs the Program
Summer EBT is optional for states, which must submit a plan to USDA and get it approved before operating. As of early 2026, several states are not participating: Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT If you live in one of these states, your children will not receive Summer EBT regardless of income.
The participation list changes as agencies finalize their plans, so check USDA’s Summer EBT page before doing anything else. It maintains a current map of participating states, territories, and tribal nations.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT
Several tribal nations operate their own Summer EBT programs independently. For 2026, the Cherokee Nation, Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Muscogee Creek Nation, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe are listed as participating tribal operators.3Food and Nutrition Service. SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) These tribal programs may cover eligible children on tribal land even when the surrounding state has opted out.
How to Get Enrolled
Most families do nothing. If your household already receives SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR, or if your child is already certified for free or reduced-price school meals, the state matches its records and issues the benefit automatically.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT
Some families do need to apply. This usually comes up when a child is newly eligible, when the household’s information in state records is outdated, or after a recent move. Applications typically ask for each child’s name, date of birth, and school, along with your household’s gross income if you’re not already receiving other assistance. States handle applications through their own portals, usually a Department of Social Services or Department of Education website. Report income based on your current household size and earnings, since mismatches slow processing.
How the Money Arrives
Once a child is enrolled, the $120 benefit may be added to the household’s existing SNAP EBT card, issued on a separate EBT card, or delivered another way depending on how the state runs the program.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT Families with an existing SNAP card usually see the funds appear on that card without anything new in the mail.
New participants receive a card by mail at the address the state has on file. If you’ve moved since your child’s school enrollment, update your address with the state’s administering agency. A card sent to an old address is the most common reason families miss the benefit. The card comes with a PIN or setup instructions; that PIN is required at checkout and protects the balance if the card is lost or stolen.
Timing varies by state, but most families see funds loaded between late May and mid-July, tied to when school cafeterias close.
What the Card Buys
Summer EBT covers most grocery staples: fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, breads and cereals, snack foods, and non-alcoholic beverages.1Food and Nutrition Service. Summer EBT
You cannot use it for:
- Hot or prepared foods sold hot at the point of sale, such as rotisserie chicken or deli meals
- Pet food
- Cleaning and household supplies
- Personal hygiene items like toilet paper, soap, and diapers
- Medicine and vitamins
- Alcohol and tobacco
Ineligible items are declined automatically at the register, and you’ll pay for those with a different method. Check your remaining balance through your state’s automated phone line, its EBT app, or the number on the back of the card.
Spend It Before It Expires
Summer EBT funds do not roll over indefinitely. Recipients generally have 122 days from the date benefits are issued to spend them. After that window, any remaining balance is permanently removed from the card, and states cannot reinstate expired funds. That gives roughly four months of use, usually late spring through early fall.
Families who spread the $120 across regular summer grocery trips tend to use all of it. Those who set the card aside and forget about it often lose part of the benefit. If you’re unsure of the exact expiration date, call the number on the back of the card or check your state’s EBT portal.
If You Are Denied
Families denied Summer EBT, or who believe their eligibility was determined incorrectly, have the right to request a fair hearing. Federal regulations allow households to file an appeal within 90 days after the end of the summer operational period.4eCFR. Title 7 Part 292 – Section 292.26 Hearing Procedure for Families and Summer EBT Agencies The clock runs from the end of the program period, not from the date on your denial notice.
Appeals go through your state’s administering agency. Contact that agency to find out how to submit a hearing request; most accept written requests, and some offer online submission. Bring documentation of your child’s school enrollment and your household income if that was the issue. Common denial reasons include incomplete applications, school records that don’t match the information provided, and income above the threshold. Denials caused by data-entry errors or missing paperwork often resolve in the family’s favor at hearing.