Your Texas Lone Star Card number is the 16-digit number printed across the front of the card, laid out like the number on a debit or credit card. It identifies your Electronic Benefit Transfer account for SNAP food benefits and TANF cash benefits, and you’ll use it to activate the card, check your balance, change your PIN, and request a replacement. It is not the same as your four-digit PIN or the case number (EDG number) assigned when you applied.
Where the Number Appears on the Card
The Lone Star Card shows an image of Texas against a sunset background. The 16-digit account number runs across the front center. That’s the number a cashier may ask you to read aloud if a card reader can’t swipe your card, and it’s the number automated phone systems ask you to enter when you call about your account.
Your PIN is separate. It’s the four-digit code you choose during activation, and it is never printed on the card. Your SNAP case number (EDG number) is different again. It appears on paperwork from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and controls when your monthly benefits load, but it isn’t used at the register.
Keep the Number Private
Anyone with both your card number and PIN can spend your benefits. Write the number down and store it somewhere separate from the card so you have it if the card is lost or stolen, but don’t share it casually. A cashier may need to key it in manually if a reader fails. No one, in any setting, should ever ask for your PIN. HHSC staff will not ask for it either.
Activating a New Card
A new Lone Star Card won’t work until you activate it. Call the Lone Star Card Help Desk at 800-777-7328 and follow the prompts. You’ll enter your card number, then choose a four-digit PIN. Pick something you’ll remember but that isn’t easy to guess, and avoid patterns like 1111 or 1234. Sign the back of the card once your PIN is set.
If you had a Lone Star Card before, you can keep your old PIN or set a new one during activation. The Help Desk line runs 24 hours a day, so you don’t have to wait for business hours. You can also manage your PIN through the Your Texas Benefits app or at YourTexasBenefits.com.
Checking Your Balance
Three official ways to see what’s left on your card:
- The Your Texas Benefits app. Log in to view current SNAP and TANF balances along with recent purchases.
- YourTexasBenefits.com. Log in and go to your Lone Star Card balance.
- Phone. Call 800-777-7328 and enter your card number when prompted to hear your balance and recent transactions.
HHSC specifically warns against using third-party websites or apps to check your balance or look at card activity. Using unofficial services means handing your card number to someone who shouldn’t have it.1Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card FAQ
SNAP benefits load on a staggered schedule across the first 28 days of the month, based on the last two digits of your SNAP case number (EDG number). An EDG number ending in 00 through 03 loads on the 1st; one ending in 96 through 99 loads on the 28th. TANF cash benefits load on the first day of each month regardless of case number. Anything you don’t spend carries forward; the balance does not reset to zero.2Texas Health and Human Services. B-250, EBT Benefit Issuance
If Your Card Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged
Request a replacement through the Your Texas Benefits app, at YourTexasBenefits.com, or by calling the Lone Star Card Help Desk at 800-777-7328.3Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card The old card is canceled the moment you ask for a new one, so no one can use it even if they find it.1Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card FAQ
Replacement cards are mailed within seven calendar days. The new card carries a different 16-digit number, but it ties to the same benefit account, so your existing balance carries over. You’ll need to activate the replacement card and set a PIN by calling 800-777-7328 before you can use it.4Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card
If you can’t wait a week, a local HHSC benefits office can issue a card directly through its EBT staff. Availability and wait times vary by location, so call ahead if you can.5Texas Health and Human Services. Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)
Freezing the Card and Reporting Stolen Benefits
EBT skimming, where thieves attach devices to card readers to capture your card number and PIN, has been a growing problem. The Your Texas Benefits app includes a freeze feature that locks the card when you aren’t actively using it. Freezing blocks all transactions until you unfreeze, which takes seconds in the app.3Texas Health and Human Services. Lone Star Card
A few habits reduce the risk further:
- Cover the keypad with your hand every time you enter your PIN at a store terminal or ATM.
- Don’t share your PIN. No one outside your household needs it, and HHSC staff will never ask for it.
- Check your balance regularly. Call 800-777-7328 right away if you see transactions you don’t recognize.
If SNAP benefits are stolen through skimming or cloning, contact your local HHSC benefits office as soon as possible. You’ll need to complete Form H1854 (Affidavit for Unauthorized Use of EBT Benefits) and submit it in person. You have 30 days from when you discover the theft to request replacement benefits, and replacements are limited to twice per federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30). If you can’t visit an office in person due to age, disability, or distance, call your local office and ask to have the form mailed to you.6Food and Nutrition Service. Addressing Stolen SNAP Benefits