To check your NJ EBT balance, log in at NJFamiliesFirst.com, open the ConnectEBT app, call 1-800-997-3333, ask a cashier to run a balance inquiry, or look at the bottom of your last store receipt. Any of these will show the current balance on your Families First Card, which carries both SNAP food benefits and any cash assistance. Balances update in real time after each transaction.
What You Need First
Every method asks for the same two things: the 16-digit card number printed on the front of your Families First Card and your four-digit PIN. If you’ve forgotten the PIN, you can reset it in the ConnectEBT app or by calling 1-800-997-3333. Keep the PIN private. State agencies and EBT processors will never call or text asking for it.1Food and Nutrition Service. Addressing Stolen SNAP Benefits
Online and in the App
NJFamiliesFirst.com is the official New Jersey EBT portal. Log in with your card number and PIN to see your current SNAP and cash balances along with recent transactions. The site also covers Work First New Jersey/TANF and General Assistance benefits.2New Jersey Department of Human Services. NJ SNAP – Check Your Balance
The ConnectEBT app, on iPhone and Android, shows the same balance information along with deposit dates and transaction history.3Apple App Store. ConnectEBT It also lets you change your PIN and lock your card, so it’s worth installing even if you usually check on a computer.
By Phone
Call 1-800-997-3333. The line is open 24 hours a day.4New Jersey Department of Human Services. Contact Us The automated system asks you to pick a language, enter your 16-digit card number, then enter your PIN, and it reads back your balance. You don’t need to speak with anyone. If you do want a representative for an account issue, stay on the line after the prompts.
At a Store or ATM
The easiest in-person check is your receipt. After you buy something with the card, most retailers print your remaining SNAP and cash balances at the bottom. You can also hand your card to a cashier at any EBT-accepting store and ask for a balance inquiry.
At an ATM, insert the card, choose “balance inquiry,” and enter your PIN. One caveat: ATMs generally show only the cash benefit balance, not SNAP. If your card holds only SNAP benefits, the ATM may display zero even though your food assistance is fully loaded.
When Benefits Land Each Month
If your balance looks low at the start of a month, check your deposit date before assuming there’s a problem. New Jersey staggers SNAP deposits across the first five calendar days of the month based on the seventh digit of your case number:
- 1 or 2: benefits load on the 1st
- 3 or 4: benefits load on the 2nd
- 5 or 6: benefits load on the 3rd
- 7 or 8: benefits load on the 4th
- 9 or 0: benefits load on the 5th
Deposits arrive early in the morning, but exact timing varies, so checking again later in the day is more reliable. Unused SNAP benefits from previous months carry over and don’t expire as long as your case stays active.
If the Balance Looks Wrong
Checking often is how most people catch card skimming, and skimming is the reason to catch it fast. Federal authority to replace electronically stolen SNAP and cash benefits expired on December 20, 2024, so benefits stolen on or after December 21, 2024 are not eligible for replacement with federal funds.5Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Replacement of Stolen Benefits Dashboard
If you see a transaction you didn’t make, change your PIN immediately and call 1-800-997-3333 to report it and request a replacement card. You can also freeze the card yourself: NJFamiliesFirst.com and the ConnectEBT app both offer a “Lock My Card Everywhere” option that blocks purchases while benefits and refunds continue to post normally.6New Jersey Department of Human Services. Human Services Launches New Lock Feature on EBT Cards Keeping the card locked between shopping trips is a straightforward way to protect the balance you just checked.