P-EBT FAQ's - Florida Department of Children and Families (2023)

What is P-EBT?

Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) is a supplemental benefit for households with students who have temporarily lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to pandemic-related school closures or distance learning.

What students are eligible for school year 2021-2022 P-EBT benefits?

A student is eligible for the 2021-2022 P-EBT benefits if the following conditions are met:

1. The student attends a school that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program.
2. The student did not have access to free or reduced-price meals because they have COVID-related absences.
3. Meet one of the following conditions:
   1. The student receives SNAP (food assistance), TANF (temporary cash assistance) or Medicaid (Directly Certified by FDACS for the NSLP), or
   2. The student is enrolled in a school that provides free lunch to all students as a Community Eligibility Provision school or a school operating under Provisions 2, or
   3. The student is determined eligible for the National School Lunch program by the school district through an application.

What are COVID related absences?

COVID-related absences are:

• Any absence where the school directs the student to stay home for a COVID-related reason. For example: A school-ordered quarantine, or any other stay-at-home order mandated by the school or school district.
• An absence initiated by the parent that is recognized and accepted by school officials as COVID-related. For example: A parent decided to keep their child home after a positive test or possible exposure to COVID and the school acknowledged the absence as COVID-related.

What if I have a school age student who was receiving free and reduced-price school meals and did not receive the P-EBT benefit?

Customers can apply for P-EBT benefits through the application and then take the completed application to the eligible student’s school to verify the COVID-related absences. Customers can also call 1-833-311-0321 if you have questions about your student’s P-EBT benefit.

Why do I have to submit an application for PEBT benefits this school year?

During school year 2020-2021, schools were not required to capture absences due to COVID-related reasons. For this reason, we are requiring the parent/guardian to submit an application to determine the number of COVID-related absences for each student that will be confirmed by the school.

What students are “Directly Certified” for P-EBT benefits?

Directly certified means a student was determined eligible by FDACS for free or reduced priced lunch through the NSLP. Students who receive SNAP (Food Assistance), TANF (Temporary Cash Assistance) or Medicaid AND attend a school that participated in the NSLP are considered directly certified.

How do I know if my child attends a Community Eligible Provision (CEP) school or if the school operates under Provision 2 or 3?

View the list of Florida schools that participate in the National School Lunch program here: https://www.myflfamilies.com/pebt These schools are identified with a ‘yes’ in the CEP column.

Is the student eligible for P-EBT if they attend Florida Virtual School (FLVS)?

No, FLVS does not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

How will I receive my P-EBT benefit?

Once an application is received and approved, households receiving SNAP benefits, the additional benefits will be added to their existing EBT cards. For Medicaid and/or TANF recipients with a student receiving free and reduced-price school meals, the additional benefits will be added to the P-EBT benefit card.

Keep your P-EBT card that was mailed to you for the 2020-2021 school year. If your student is eligible for P-EBT benefits in the 2021-2022 school year, additional benefits will be re-loaded when they are issued.

If you are not currently receiving SNAP benefits or if you were not previously issued a P-EBT card, a new P-EBT card will be mailed to you.

When will I receive my P-EBT benefits?

Once the application is submitted and signed by the student’s school, benefits will be issued within two weeks. If students do not currently have an EBT or P-EBT card, new cards will be issued. Delivery generally occurs in 7-10 business days.

What benefit amount will I receive?

The P-EBT benefit amount for school year 2021-2022 is $7.10 per student multiplied by the number of verified COVID-related absences where the student did not have access to free or reduced-priced meals. This is the daily federal reimbursement rate for a breakfast, lunch, and snack for school year 2021-2022 determined by USDA.

P-EBT benefits will be provided retroactively to identify the number of days a student had COVID-related absences. This process will ensure families are provided the full and accurate P-EBT benefit amount for the school year.

How do I know when my P-EBT benefit has been added to my EBT card?

For current SNAP recipients, the P-EBT benefit amount issued will be listed in your account separate from your regular SNAP benefits in the self-service portal at: https://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/.

For non-SNAP recipients, you can obtain your balance by logging on to the EBT Cardholder Portal or through the ebtEDGE app. You can also call the EBT Customer Service number (1-888-356-3281) on the back of your card. After you enter you sixteen (16) digit EBT/P-EBT card number you will hear your current food assistance balance.

What can I purchase with P-EBT benefits?

Households can use P-EBT benefits to buy breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat. Households cannot use P-EBT benefits to buy nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, household supplies, grooming items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, food to eat in the store, or hot foods.

What retailers accept P-EBT?

P-EBT benefits can be used to purchase food items at retailers displaying a Quest or SNAP logo/signage. To find the closest retailer where you can use your benefits, download the free ebtEDGE mobile app at https://www.fisglobal.com/ebtedgemobile

SNAP recipients may purchase groceries online with the use of an EBT card. As of April 2021, participating retailers include Walmart, Amazon, ALDI, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Publix.

When will my P-EBT benefits expire?

Benefits will expire after 274 days (9 months) of inactivity. If benefits are added to your current EBT card, the P-EBT benefits will be used first.

What if a student resides in multiple residences?

If you currently receive SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid and have a student receiving free and reduced-price school meals, the P-EBT benefit will be issued to the household on file with the Department of Children and Families.

If you are not receiving SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid, the P-EBT benefit will be issued to the parent or guardian based on information provided on the application and verified by the student’s school district.

What if I received a P-EBT card and do not need this benefit?

P-EBT benefit cards should be destroyed if not needed. P-EBT benefits cannot be donated or transferred to anyone else. The benefit is for the eligible student only and can only be used for the student and their household.

What will the new P-EBT card look like?

The card will be sent in a plain white envelope with the following return address:
Florida P-EBT
P.O. Box 7250
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-7250

Front of the card

Back of the card

How can I activate the P-EBT card?

To activate the P-EBT card, you will need the following information:

• The 16-digit card number
• The zip code for your mailing address
• Your child’s 6-digit date of birth (2 digits for the month, 2 digits for the day, and 2 digits for the year)

How do I request a replacement card?

If you have received a P-EBT card and need to replace it, you can call 1-888-356-3281 to report your P-EBT card as lost, stolen, damaged, or if you did not receive your P-EBT card. Please note, if you have already scanned the QR code on the card carrier and downloaded the EBT app, your P-EBT card can be reported as lost, stolen, or damaged through the app.