The short answer
SNAP benefits are approved for a set certification period, and they stop at the end of it unless the household recertifies. Periods are set by your state. They commonly run from six to twelve months, and up to 24 months for households where every adult is elderly or has a disability. Before the period ends, the agency sends a notice of expiration. A household that submits a recertification application by the 15th day of the last month of its period, and completes the interview and verification, is entitled to a decision before the period ends, and benefits continue on the usual date if the household is still eligible. A household that misses the deadline generally has to apply again, with benefits starting from the new application date. Many households also file an interim report partway through the period, and missing it can end benefits early. If benefits are denied or reduced, you can request a fair hearing.
Know your end date
The approval letter states the certification period, the months your household is approved for and the last month of the period. If you cannot find it, look in your state's online account, call the SNAP office or check the notice your agency sent. Write the last day on a calendar, and write a second date, the 15th of that month, which matters more.
States choose the length of the period within federal limits. Six and twelve months are common, and households in which every adult is elderly or has a disability can be approved for up to 24 months. A household with income that changes often may get a shorter period so the agency can check more often.
The timeline, step by step
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| When | What happens | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| A month or two before the period ends | The agency sends a notice of expiration, often with a form or an interview appointment | Read it, note the dates and the address or website for the form |
| By the 15th day of the last month | The deadline for a complete recertification application | Submit the form online, by mail, by fax or in person |
| Before the period ends | A phone or in-person interview, set by the agency | Answer questions about income, rent and household members |
| At least 10 days after the interview | The agency must allow time to submit documents | Send proof of income and expenses |
| Before the last day of the period | A decision, if you met the deadline | Keep the notice, and check the amount |
Recertification can change the amount, so check it against our SNAP calculator, and our guide to SNAP eligibility and benefits lists the rules the agency applies. Exact timing varies by state, and the agency decides whether to send an appointment with the notice. The part that is the same everywhere is the 15th-day rule. A household that files by that day and completes what the agency asks is entitled to a decision by the end of its period, and if it is eligible its benefits are issued on the usual date, with no gap.
What to bring to the interview
The agency will want proof of what changed since the last approval. Have these ready, because the interview and the paperwork go faster when you do:
- Income: recent pay stubs, a letter from an employer, or records of self-employment, unemployment benefits, Social Security or other income.
- Housing costs: a lease, a mortgage statement or a rent receipt, plus recent utility bills.
- Household members: names and birth dates of everyone you buy and prepare food with, and anyone who has moved in or out.
- Child care and child support paid: receipts or a statement, since these can raise your benefit.
- Medical costs for members who are 60 or older or have a disability, which can also raise your benefit.
If you have a document you cannot get in time, say so at the interview and ask for more time, or ask the agency to help verify it. The interview is often a phone call, and the agency can tell you in advance what it will ask.
If your life changed since you were approved
Recertification is a fresh look at the household, so list everything that is different: a new job or fewer hours, a new baby, someone moving in or out, a new address or a change in rent. If you moved to another state, your benefits do not follow you. You apply in the new state and the old case closes. Our guide to moving to another state explains what carries over.
Keep proof that you filed. If you submit online, save the confirmation page or a screenshot, and if you mail or drop off a form, keep a copy and ask for a receipt. A dated record is what settles a dispute about whether you met the deadline.
Reports during the period
Recertification is not the only check. Many states ask households to file an interim report partway through the period, often at the midpoint of a 12-month certification, and they set the due date on the approval notice. A missed interim report can close the case before the period ends.
Between reports, households under simplified reporting generally have to tell the agency only about certain changes, such as income rising above the gross income limit for the household size. Adults who are subject to work requirements may also have to report when their hours drop. Our guide to SNAP work requirements explains who those rules reach, and our guide to reporting changes explains how to tell the agency.
If you miss the deadline
Missing the 15th is not the end of the road, but it costs you. A household that files after the deadline, or whose period ends before it completes the steps, generally has benefits stopped and must apply again. Benefits then start from the date of the new application, not from the end of the old period, so a gap can open.
Some states allow a short grace period or treat a late filing within the following month more leniently, so call the agency before assuming the worst. If you may qualify for emergency help while you wait, our guide to expedited SNAP explains the seven-day rule for households with very little income and cash.
Households that renew without a gap tend to follow the same pattern. The notice arrives a month or two before the end date, the form goes in online before the 15th of the last month, the interview happens a week or so later and the pay stubs and lease are sent within the 10 days the agency must allow. The decision arrives before the period ends and benefits load on the usual date. A form filed after the 15th falls under the late-filing rules, and benefits might not start until the next month.
If benefits are denied or reduced
The notice tells you why the agency made its decision and how long you have to challenge it. You have the right to request a fair hearing, generally up to 90 days after the notice, and the instructions are on the notice itself. Ask for the hearing in writing if you can, keep a copy and keep any documents you sent. A hearing is an informal review in which you explain your situation and a hearing officer decides whether the agency applied the rules correctly. Our guide to appealing a denied decision explains the process.
Questions about renewing SNAP
What if I never got a notice of expiration?
Call the SNAP office before your period ends, and ask for the form and the due date. The end date on your approval letter is yours to track, and not receiving a notice does not extend it.
Do I have to do the interview again?
Usually yes, though some states waive it in some cases. The agency tells you in the notice whether an interview is required and how to schedule it.
Can I recertify online?
Most states offer an online account or portal, as well as mail, fax and in-person options. Use whichever you can document, and keep the confirmation so you can show the date you filed.
Can my benefit change at recertification?
Yes. The amount is figured again from your current income, housing costs, household size and expenses, so it can go up or down. Report your actual costs, because many raise the benefit.
What your state decides
States set certification periods, notice timing and reporting rules within federal limits, and the agency decides each case. This is general information and not legal advice. If you are unsure of a date or a requirement, call the number on your notice and ask for the answer in writing.
Official sources
This week
Find your approval letter, write down the period's last day and the 15th, and find where your agency takes the form. If your notice has already arrived, set a date to submit it this week and gather one month of pay stubs and your current rent and utility bills.
