December SNAP benefits are back on their regular schedule after weeks of confusion tied to the extended government shutdown. For millions of households using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to buy groceries, knowing the exact deposit date is important, especially during the holiday season.
Here, we’ll outline when each state will load December benefits and explain why schedules vary so much across the country. We’ll also look at how states determine deposit dates and what the recent funding bill means for SNAP moving forward.
SNAP December payment schedule by state
Below is the full list of December 2025 SNAP issuance dates. States use different systems to determine when benefits are released, which is why the calendars range from a single day to nearly the full month.
- Alabama: Dec 4–23.
- Alaska: Dec 1.
- Arizona: Dec 1–13.
- Arkansas: Dec 4–13.
- California: Dec 1–10.
- Colorado: Dec 1–10.
- Connecticut: Dec 1–3.
- Delaware: Dec 2–23.
- District of Columbia: Dec 1–10.
- Florida: Dec 1–28.
- Georgia: Dec 5–23.
- Guam: Dec 1–10.
- Hawaii: Dec 3–5.
- Idaho: Dec 1–10.
- Illinois: Dec 1–20.
- Indiana: Dec 5–23.
- Iowa: Dec 1–10.
- Kansas: Dec 1–10.
- Kentucky: Dec 1–19.
- Louisiana: Dec 1–23.
- Maine: Dec 10–14.
- Maryland: Dec 4–23.
- Massachusetts: Dec 1–14.
- Michigan: Dec 3–21.
- Minnesota: Dec 4–13.
- Mississippi: Dec 4–21.
- Missouri: Dec 1–22.
- Montana: Dec 2–6.
- Nebraska: Dec 1–5.
- Nevada: Dec 1–10.
- New Hampshire: Dec 5.
- New Jersey: Dec 1–5.
- New Mexico: Dec 1–20.
- New York: Dec 1–9.
- North Carolina: Dec 3–21.
- North Dakota: Dec 1.
- Ohio: Dec 2–20.
- Oklahoma: Dec 1–10.
- Oregon: Dec 1–9.
- Pennsylvania: Dec 3–14.
- Puerto Rico: Dec 4–22.
- Rhode Island: Dec 1.
- South Carolina: Dec 1–19.
- South Dakota: Dec 10.
- Tennessee: Dec 1–20.
- Texas: Dec 1–28.
- Utah: Dec 5, 11, 15.
- Virgin Islands: Dec 1.
- Vermont: Dec 1.
- Virginia: Dec 1–7.
- Washington: Dec 1–20.
- West Virginia: Dec 1–9.
- Wisconsin: Dec 1–15.
- Wyoming: Dec 1–4.
Why the SNAP schedule varies
SNAP is a federal program, but states run their own distribution systems. That’s why Alabama’s calendar stretches through the month, while Alaska pays everyone on the first.
Large states like California and Florida stagger payments based on case numbers to avoid overwhelming retailers. Others, like Connecticut and Delaware, use the first letter of a recipient’s last name. Smaller states and territories, including Alaska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and the Virgin Islands, can process all payments in a single day because they have fewer households enrolled.
What happened with SNAP recently
The shutdown put extraordinary strain on this system. For 43 days, states were stuck between federal guidance, lawsuits, and conflicting court rulings. Some issued full November benefits, others partial amounts, and a few paused payments altogether. When the shutdown ended and the funding bill was finally signed, states were cleared to resume normal operations. December is the first fully scheduled month since the disruption.
SNAP benefits are delivered through EBT cards, which work like debit cards at participating grocery stores, supermarkets, and farmers’ markets. Once your state loads the funds, you can use them right away.
The latest funding deal covers SNAP through the end of the fiscal year on October 1, 2026. That means households should expect steady benefits for the foreseeable future. For now, the December schedule marks a return to routine after weeks of uncertainty, giving families a clearer picture of when they’ll have access to their food budget. This will allow them to plan their meals and grocery shopping with greater confidence.