Food Stamps in Maryland: Eligibility, Applying, and Benefits

To get food stamps in Maryland, your household generally needs to earn less than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which comes out to about $2,610 a month for one person or $5,360 for a family of four.¹ The program is officially the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), run by the Maryland Department of Human Services, and you apply online through MarylandBenefits.gov or at your local Department of Social Services.² Approval usually takes 30 days, and a four-person household can receive up to $994 a month in fiscal year 2026.³

Income Limits by Household Size

Maryland uses Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, which sets the gross income ceiling at 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.⁴ Gross income means everything your household brings in before taxes and deductions. A “household” is the people who live with you and buy or prepare meals together, and their income counts too.

The current monthly gross income limits:

1 person: $2,610
2 people: $3,540
3 people: $4,450
4 people: $5,360

Add roughly $910 for each additional household member.¹

What About Savings and Other Assets?

Because of Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility, most Maryland households face no asset test. Your savings account, car, or home won’t disqualify you. The exception: if someone in your household has been disqualified from SNAP for a program violation or for failing work requirements, the federal resource limits apply. That’s $3,000 for most households, or $4,500 if any member is 60 or older or has a disability.⁵

Other Rules That Affect Eligibility

You must live in Maryland and apply through the local Department of Social Services that serves your area.⁶ You also need to be a U.S. citizen or hold a qualifying immigration status. Some non-citizens qualify, but the rules are involved enough that it’s worth confirming your status with a caseworker before applying.⁷

Adults 18 to 52 Without Dependents

If you’re between 18 and 52, physically able to work, and have no dependents, Maryland classifies you as an Able-Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWD). To keep benefits beyond three months in any three-year window, you need to work, volunteer, or take part in a training program for at least 20 hours a week.⁸ Exemptions apply for medical conditions, pregnancy, and substance abuse treatment, among others. Ask about them if you think one might fit.

College Students

Students enrolled at least half-time in higher education usually cannot get SNAP unless they meet a specific exemption. The most common ones are working 20 or more hours a week in paid employment, participating in federal or state work-study, being a single parent of a child under 12, receiving disability payments, or being placed in school through a workforce training program.⁹ If none of those apply, you’re likely ineligible while enrolled.

How to Apply

The quickest way to apply is through MarylandBenefits.gov. You can also mail, fax, or hand-deliver a paper application (form DHS/FIA 9701) to your local Department of Social Services.¹⁰

Before you start, pull together:

Social Security numbers for every household member, including children (or proof one has been applied for)
Proof of residency, like a utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement
Income verification: recent pay stubs, an employer letter, or an award letter from Social Security or unemployment
Documentation for anything that could reduce your countable income: childcare costs, out-of-pocket medical expenses (for members 60 or older or disabled), rent or mortgage and utilities, and child support you pay⁷

After the office receives your application, a case manager schedules an interview, usually by phone, and helps you complete anything missing.² You can request an in-person interview if you’d rather. The standard timeline for a decision is 30 days from the date the application is received.

Expedited Benefits Within Seven Days

Households in severe financial distress can qualify for expedited service, with benefits issued within seven days. Federal rules set three qualifying situations: monthly gross income under $150 combined with liquid assets under $100; destitute migrant or seasonal farmworker with under $100 in liquid assets; or combined gross income and liquid assets that fall short of monthly rent and utilities.¹¹

How Much You’ll Receive

The state starts with the maximum monthly allotment for your household size and subtracts 30 percent of your net income (gross income minus allowable deductions). What’s left is your monthly benefit. If your net income is zero, you get the full maximum.

FY2026 maximum monthly allotments:

1 person: $298
2 people: $546
3 people: $785
4 people: $994
5 people: $1,183
6 people: $1,421
7 people: $1,571
8 people: $1,789

Each additional person beyond eight adds $218.³

Deductions matter. Rent, mortgage, and utilities all count toward your shelter deduction; so do dependent care costs, child support you pay, and medical expenses over $35 a month for household members who are 60 or older or have a disability. Applicants often leave money on the table by underreporting these, so keep the receipts.

Using Your Independence Card

Once approved, your benefits load onto the Maryland Independence Card, which works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores.¹² The day your benefits arrive each month depends on the first three letters of your last name; the schedule is on the DHS website. You’ll set up a PIN by phone before the card will work.

SNAP covers most groceries: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, cereals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds or plants that produce food.¹³ It doesn’t cover alcohol, tobacco, hot ready-to-eat food, vitamins and supplements, cleaning supplies, pet food, paper products, cosmetics, or cannabis and CBD products.

You can also use the card for online grocery orders at participating retailers, though SNAP pays only for the food itself, not delivery fees, service charges, or tips.¹⁴

Keeping Your Benefits

Maryland uses simplified reporting, so you don’t need to notify the state about every small change. The one you must report: if your household’s total gross monthly income goes above 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level for your household size, tell the state within 10 days of the end of the month it happened.¹⁵ ABAWDs also need to report if their work hours drop below 20 per week. Everything else typically waits until recertification.

Most households recertify every 12 months. Households with someone 60 or older, or with a disability, usually get a 24-month certification. A renewal notice arrives by mail. Miss that deadline and your case closes, meaning you’d have to apply again from scratch.

If You’re Denied or Your Benefits Are Cut

You can request a fair hearing within 90 days of the date on any notice denying, reducing, or terminating your benefits. Submit form DHS/FIA 334 by mail, fax, or in person at your local office, or send it directly to the Office of Administrative Hearings in Hunt Valley.¹⁶

File within 10 days of the notice and your benefits continue at their current level while you wait for the decision. File later and you can still get a hearing, but benefits may be reduced or stopped in the meantime. If the judge sides with the state, you may need to repay benefits you received during the appeal.

1
Maryland Department of Human Services. Family Investment Administration Programs Income Guidelines
2
Maryland Department of Human Services. Applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
3
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP FY2026 Maximum Allotments and Deductions
4
Food and Nutrition Service. Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE)
5
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Eligibility
6
Maryland Department of Human Services. SNAP Manual – Residency
7
Maryland Department of Human Services. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Eligibility Rules
8
Maryland Department of Human Services. Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs)
9
Food and Nutrition Service. Students
10
Maryland Department of Human Services. Family Investment Administration Application for Assistance
11
eCFR. 7 CFR 273.2 – Office Operations and Application Processing
12
Maryland Department of Human Services. Benefits Schedule
13
Food and Nutrition Service. What Can SNAP Buy?
14
Food and Nutrition Service. Stores Accepting SNAP Online
15
Maryland Department of Human Services. SNAP Manual – Reporting Changes
16
Maryland Department of Human Services. Request for Fair Hearing