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What is EBT?
Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, is the way you receive and use your food stamp benefits in South Dakota. You can use your Dakota EBT card anywhere in South Dakota and throughout the United States.
How do I get my food stamp benefits with EBT?
The benefits are deposited into your EBT account, much like a bank account. Your benefits are available by using your Dakota EBT card and Personal Identification Number (PIN).
What is a PIN?
A PIN, or Personal Identification Number, is the four-digit secret code you will select when you receive your Dakota EBT card. The PIN acts as your signature or authorization.
When do I get my food stamp benefits?
If you are a new applicant, you will receive a notice from your benefits specialist telling you when the food stamp benefits will be available in your EBT account. After you receive the notice, you can call the Customer Service Helpline at 1-800-947-6600 or check online at www.ebtaccount.jpmorgan.com to confirm your deposit.
If the benefits are not in your account by 8 a.m. (CT) or 7 a.m. (MT), they WILL NOT be available that day. Please check with your benefits specialist to see when to expect your benefits.
If you are an ongoing recipient, you will receive your benefits in your EBT account on the 10th of the month, even if the 10th falls on a weekend or a holiday. If your monthly report form is late or incomplete, your benefits may be delayed.
Where can I shop with EBT?
Most authorized food retailers and convenience stores accept EBT. Authorized retailers display a decal on the door that looks like your card.
Any member of an eligible household who is 60 years of age or older may use their EBT card at authorized communal dining facilities and authorized nonprofit meal delivery services; i.e., Meals on Wheels, Senior Citizens Centers, Senior Apartment Sites, other Elderly Nutrition Sites.
What can I buy with my Dakota EBT card?
You CAN Buy:
You CANNOT Buy:
Contact the store manager if you have any questions on whether you can buy an item with your Dakota EBT card.
What does my Dakota EBT card look like?
Your Dakota EBT card is a plastic card
with your card number embossed on the
front and a place for your signature
on the back.
How do I use my Dakota EBT card?
Follow these steps for proper usage of your Dakota EBT card.
How do I remember my PIN?
Choose four digits that are easy for you to remember, but hard for someone else to figure out. You SHOULD NOT use your date of birth or your Social Security number as your PIN. Write down your PIN at home and keep it in a safe place. Do not write your PIN on your Dakota EBT card or card sleeve. Do not keep your PIN in your wallet or purse.
What if I forget my PIN?
If you are in the grocery store and enter the wrong PIN, you have two more chances that day to enter the correct PIN. If the correct PIN is not entered on the third try, your card will be “locked out” until the next day. If you cannot remember your PIN or think someone else knows it, you can choose a new PIN at your local office, online or by calling the Customer Service Helpline at 1-800-947-6600.
To change your PIN over the telephone, you will need to follow the steps listed below:
Can someone else shop for me?
In an emergency, you can let someone else use your Dakota EBT card to buy food for you. Be careful -- once you tell someone your PIN and give them your card they could use ALL your benefits. These benefits will NOT be replaced.
How will I know the balance in my EBT account?
There are three easy ways to check:
What if the store does not have an EBT machine or the EBT machine is not working?
Some stores accept EBT, but may not have a machine for you to enter your PIN. Give the cashier your Dakota EBT card and sign a voucher for the dollar amount of your purchase. Do not tell them your PIN. During short-term telephone and electrical outages, manual vouchers are limited to $40 until power is restored. Paper vouchers will not show your current balance. Remember to subtract the amount of these purchases from your previous balance.
How do I take care of my Dakota EBT card?
Keep your Dakota EBT card safe, clean and in its holder. Do not bend your Dakota EBT card and do not give your PIN number to anyone. If your card is visibly damaged or you continually have problems at the store with the card not working, contact your local office to get a replacement card.
What if I forget my card when I go to the store?
You cannot use your EBT benefits to buy food without your Dakota EBT card and your PIN.
What should I do if I lose my Dakota EBT card?
If your Dakota EBT card is lost, stolen or damaged, immediately call the Customer Service Helpline at 1-800-947-6600 to report it. No one else can use your Dakota EBT card once you report it missing. Contact your local DSS office to obtain a replacement card.
How long will it take to get a new Dakota EBT card?
It may take 3 business days to get a new Dakota EBT card, so keep it safe. If you need a new card, contact your local DSS office for card replacement times.
What if my card won't work?
If your card does not work or you get an error message you do not
understand, call the Customer Service Helpline at 1-800-947-6600 or visit www.ebtaccount.jpmorgan.com for assistance.
You could get these error messages on a store’s EBT machine:
What if I get an error message which reads “Not Sufficient Funds”?
You will get this message if you try to spend more than the balance in your EBT account. You can put a few items back or you must pay the difference in cash. Be sure to check your balance before you shop.
What if I get an “Invalid PIN” error message?
You will get this message if you enter the wrong PIN. You have three chances during the same day to enter the correct PIN. If the correct PIN is not entered on the third try, your card will be “locked out” until the next day.
If you cannot remember your PIN, you have three ways to select a new PIN:
1. Take your card to the local DSS office to select a new PIN.
2. Call the Customer Service Helpline at 1-800-947-6600.
3. Select a new PIN online at: www.ebtaccount.jpmorgan.com.
What if I get an “Invalid Card” error message?
You will get this message if your card is damaged or has been
deactivated. When the magnetic stripe is damaged, the EBT machine cannot read the data needed to obtain authorization for the transaction. Contact your local DSS office to obtain a replacement card.
How often do I need to use my card? Will my benefits carry over from month to month?
You should use your Dakota EBT card at least once every 30 days to keep your account active. If you do not access your account in 181 days, the account will be “frozen” and you will need to contact your local DSS office before you can use your Food Stamp benefits. Food Stamp benefits carry over from month to month and can be used even when your food stamp case closes. Benefits not spent within 365 days will be removed from the account and cannot be replaced.
How do I take something back to the store? Can I get cash back for the returned item?
Take the item and the receipt back to the store. The store will put the amount back into your EBT account or you can select a new item from the store. You will NOT receive cash.
What if I move?
If you move to another state, you can use your Dakota EBT card at most large retail stores to spend your remaining South Dakota food stamp benefits. If you wish to receive food stamp benefits in your new state, you need to apply in that state for benefits.
Should I destroy my Dakota EBT card if my food stamp case closes?
No. You should use up all the available benefits in your EBT account and then keep your Dakota EBT card. It may be possible to use your same Dakota EBT card if you decide to reapply for food stamps in South Dakota.
What if I do not have a telephone?
You can call 1-800-947-6600 from any payphone at no charge. A
telephone may be found in the customer service area of some larger retail stores. Ask the store manager.
When do I call the Customer Service Helpline?
Call immediately to report a lost or stolen Dakota EBT card.