The PA-564 semi-annual reporting form is Pennsylvania’s mid-certification check-in for SNAP and TANF households: you confirm what has changed since your last filing, attach proof, sign it, and return it by the due date printed on the packet. Do that on time and your benefits continue without interruption.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) The form itself is short. The work is in gathering the right documents and answering every question, even the ones where nothing changed.
Who Has to File a SAR
If you get SNAP or TANF, expect a PA-564 packet in the mail about six months into your certification period. It arrives at your address on record with a return envelope and a printed due date.
One SNAP household type is exempt. You do not have to file a SAR if all three of these are true:
- Every household member is at least 60 years old or has a disability.
- No member has earned income.
- Every member buys and prepares meals together.
Households meeting all three conditions will not receive a packet and do not need to act until regular renewal.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) Everyone else should watch the mail.
Gather Your Documents First
Pull your records together before you open the form. The SAR asks about changes since your last application or renewal, and having proof in front of you keeps you from leaving blanks or guessing at numbers.
Income
Collect recent pay stubs for every working household member. For self-employment, bring records of gross earnings for the reporting period. For unearned income, dig out current award letters or statements for Social Security, unemployment, child support received, or pensions. The form asks for gross amounts (before taxes and deductions), so your documents need to show those figures, not just net pay.
Household and Housing
If anyone moved in or out, you will need their full name and identifying information. If you moved, have your new lease or rental agreement and current utility bills ready. Changes in rent, mortgage, or utility costs should be backed up with billing statements so the shelter deduction on your case can be updated.
Expenses
Dependent care costs can affect your benefit calculation. So can out-of-pocket medical expenses, but only for a household member who is 60 or older or who has a disability. Receipts, invoices, or billing statements let the department apply those deductions.
Filling In the Form
The PA-564 is built as a series of change/no-change questions. For each category, you check whether what DHS has on file is still accurate. If something changed, you write in the new detail: a dollar amount, a name, a date.
Start at the top. Enter your case number, which appears on prior DHS notices and on the cover letter that came with the packet, along with your current contact information. Then work through the sections in order:
- Income. Enter gross monthly earnings for each working household member. If someone started or ended a job, note the employer, the start or end date, and current gross pay.
- Household composition. List anyone who moved in or out, with the date.
- Housing costs. Update rent or mortgage and any utility changes.
- Other expenses. Report changes to dependent care or, where it applies, medical expenses.
If nothing changed in a section, check the no-change box. Do not leave anything blank. A blank reads as a missing answer, not a “no,” and it slows your case down.
Sign and date the certification at the bottom. Without a signature the form will not be processed. Attach copies of your supporting documents, not originals. Keep the originals in your own file.
How to Submit It
You have three ways to return the completed PA-564:
- Online through the MyCOMPASS PA mobile app, free on the Apple App Store and Google Play. You can photograph and upload your supporting documents from your phone. This is the fastest route into the system.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR)
- By mail, using the pre-addressed envelope in the packet. If you lost the envelope, send the form and documents to your local County Assistance Office.
- In person at your County Assistance Office during business hours, or in the document drop box outside the building.
Whichever route you use, submit before the due date on the form. If you mail it, give yourself several days of lead time.
The Deadline and What Happens If You Miss It
Missing the due date does not end your benefits right away, but the window closes quickly. If DHS does not receive your form by the deadline, it sends a Late/Incomplete Notice with a second SAR packet and a new deadline. If the form is still not processed by that second date, your benefits are suspended.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR)
Returning the SAR after a suspension can restart your benefits without a new application. Wait longer, though, and you may pass the end of your certification period, at which point you would have to reapply from scratch, sit for a new interview, and start a fresh waiting period. Treat the Late/Incomplete Notice as your last warning.
After You Submit
A caseworker reviews the form and your documents to confirm your household still qualifies. If nothing changed and everything checks out, benefits continue at the same amount and you do nothing further.
If your reported changes push your benefit up or down, DHS mails a written notice with the new amount, the effective date, and appeal instructions. If a document is missing or something you reported conflicts with the file, you may get a request for more verification. Respond quickly to keep your benefits from lapsing.
Changes You Cannot Wait to Report
The SAR covers a six-month snapshot, but some changes have to be reported sooner. Notify your County Assistance Office by the 10th of the month after the change if any of these happen:
- Your address or phone number changes (and your new shelter costs, if you moved).
- Household income goes up or down by $125 or more per month.
- Someone moves into or out of the household.
- Your rent, mortgage, or utility costs change.
- Dependent care or medical expenses change. Medical expenses count only for members who are 60 or older or who receive disability income.
- You are subject to work requirements (PEER) and your work or activity hours fall below 80 per month.
You can report these through the MyCOMPASS PA app, by phone to your County Assistance Office, or in person. Reporting on time prevents overpayments you would otherwise have to repay, and it can raise your benefits sooner when income drops or expenses rise.