Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Program
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is a temporary program that gives food assistance benefits to eligible families during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The benefits are given on an EBT card, which works like a debit card. You can use it to buy food at stores that accept EBT cards.
Current Benefits: 2022-23 School Year
For children 6+ years old (students):
- $8.18 for each day of school missed because of COVID-19. (Some days are not counted; see details.)
- The first benefits issuance is March 16. This issuance covers COVID-19 related absences from September through January. Benefits issued will be available to spend starting March 18. The next issuance covering absences in February will happen at the end of March.
For children 5 years old and younger:
- The statewide benefit amount may be different each month.
- The first benefits issuance will happen at the end of March. This issuance covers September through February.
Benefits will end May 11, 2023. This is when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
If you're unsure about your child's eligibility, take our eligibility quiz.
What To Do Now
The following are things you can do today to get ready for P-EBT:
- Find out if you are eligible for P-EBT. If you aren't, apply for FNS (food stamps) or apply for free or reduced-price meals at your child’s school before May 1. The deadline for becoming eligible for P-EBT is May 31, and these applications can take at least a month to process.
- If your student misses school because of COVID-19, make sure the school marks their attendance as a COVID-19 absence (attendance codes 1D or 1R). This includes if they're sick with COVID-19, need to quarantine, or temporarily attend virtual school while enrolled in a regular school.
Remember: These are NOT the only eligibility criteria for P-EBT. For more details, use our eligibility quiz or visit our FAQs.
How can we help you with P-EBT?
If you participate in Food and Nutrition Services (also known as food stamps) or your children participate in the National School Lunch Program to receive free or reduced-price school meals, your household is also eligible for P-EBT. There’s no separate application.
Your child may be eligible if they are:
- A student who attends school in person, gets free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, and who misses school due to COVID-19 related reasons
- A child 5 years old or younger in an active case through Food and Nutrition Services (also known as food stamps)
If you’re unsure about your child’s eligibility, take our eligibility quiz.
If you already have a FNS (food stamps) EBT or P-EBT card, any benefits you are eligible for will be added to it. Find out if you're eligible.
If this is your first time receiving benefits, a card will be mailed to you 1-3 weeks after the benefits are issued.
P-EBT benefits are determined each month. If your child qualifies for the month, you’ll see the benefits deposited onto your card automatically at the end of the following month.
School-age students only get benefits for the days they are out of school due to COVID-19. (Some days are not counted; see details.)
View your balance and manage your account using the ebtEdge website or mobile app.
For students attending school in person: A benefit of $8.18 will be paid each day an eligible student cannot attend school because of COVID-19 (once the school meets a threshold for COVID-19 related absences). COVID-19 related absences can include being sick, quarantining or isolating, or spending days in temporary virtual learning because of COVID-19 while enrolled in an in-person school. However:
- The absence must be marked by the school as a COVID-19 related absence. Make sure your school marks the absences correctly (attendance codes 1D or 1R).
- Some days may not be counted. P-EBT benefits for the school year only begin once the student’s school has met a threshold of COVID-19 related absences this year. (This is because of federal government rules for the program.) See if your school has passed this threshold for the year (updated monthly).
For young children: Eligible children 5 years old and younger will receive a monthly payment. The benefit amount will vary by month and will be posted each month:
Benefit Schedule and Amount (children 5 years and younger)
| Benefit Month(s) | Issuance Month (2023) | Benefit Amount |
|---|---|---|
| September 2022 through February 2023 | March | $35.69 each month |
If you’re unsure about your child’s eligibility, take our eligibility quiz.
School-age students only get benefits for the days they are out of school due to COVID-19. (Some days are not counted; see details.)
Benefits will automatically be added each month based on the amount your child qualifies for. Because most students are back in school and receiving meals in person, many households will not get P-EBT this year or will only receive a small amount for COVID-19 related absences.
P-EBT will end on May 11, 2023, when the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends. That means May’s benefits will be calculated based on school attendance during the first nine school days of the month for students, and the statewide benefit amount for children will be posted with other months on the P-EBT website.
North Carolina may issue a small amount of Summer P-EBT for students who attend traditional in-person schools. Check back soon to see if 2023 Summer P-EBT gets approved.
It will be sent to the home address on file for the child.
If the child receives food stamps, your card will be sent to the address in the Food and Nutrition Services case. (Learn how to check or change that address.)
If the child doesn't get food stamps (FNS), the card will be sent to the address on file at the child's school.
If your EBT or P-EBT card has been lost or destroyed, you can order a new card at www.ebtEdge.com, on the ebtEDGE mobile app, or by contacting the EBT Call Center at 1-888-622-7328. It will be helpful (but not required) to have your card number handy.
Check out these Frequently Asked Questions.
Watch Out: P-EBT Scam Advisory
There are scams targeting EBT recipients. Here are some reminders to keep you and your family safe:
- NEVER provide personal information if someone you don’t know reaches out to you by phone, text, or email.
- NEVER share Social Security numbers, bank information, EBT and/or P-EBT card numbers, or other personal information with people you don’t know.
- ONLY provide personal information when YOU reach out directly to a state agency. If you receive any unsolicited communications asking you to provide personal information, do not respond and immediately delete the message.
- BEWARE: Card skimming and cloning are on the rise. Learn more about card scams and find out how to protect yourself.
Latest Updates
Mar. 16, 2023
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The first P-EBT issuance for students begins today. This issuance covers COVID-19 related absences from September through January. Issuances for children 5 years old and younger will begin at the end of March. See benefit amounts.
Feb. 28, 2023
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P-EBT benefits will continue for the 2022-23 school year and until the federal Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, 2023. Learn more about 2022-23 P-EBT.
Jan. 27, 2023
- P-EBT benefits will continue for the 2022-23 school year and until the federal Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, 2023. We'll announce details as soon as we can including detailed eligibility requirements so please bookmark this page and come back to learn more. In the meantime, find out what you can do to prepare for the next round of P-EBT.
All Updates
Dec. 14, 2022
- Starting on Dec. 23, 2022, the EBT Call Center hours of operation are changing to 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The EBT Call Center will not be open on weekends or holidays. You can activate your card, select a PIN, check your card balance, view your transaction history or cancel your EBT card by using the cardholder portal at www.ebtEdge.com or through the EBT Edge mobile app available at Google Play or the Apple Store.
Sept. 7, 2022
- As of Sept. 24, 2022, P-EBT recipients will have 274 days from the date of benefit issuance to make eligible purchases before benefits expire.
Aug. 10, 2022
- Please note that our call center is experiencing extremely high call volumes. For self-service options, please refer to our FAQs or the P-EBT Virtual Agent (chat circle on the bottom right of your screen) for information on P-EBT eligibility, benefits, and timing.
July 26, 2022
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Some families with eligible students may receive their new P-EBT cards with their Summer 2022 P-EBT benefits 1-2 weeks later than originally anticipated. All students who were eligible for Summer P-EBT by the first issuance on July 20, 2022, can expect to receive their cards no later than mid-August. Many eligible families should already have received benefits on their existing FNS EBT or P-EBT card. We apologize for the delay.
As a reminder, students who apply for National School Lunch Program free or reduced-price meals and young children who apply for Food and Nutrition Services by Aug. 31, 2022 and get approved will be eligible to receive Summer P-EBT in late September or early October.
NEW: To check to see if your child is eligible for Summer P-EBT, use the new Summer P-EBT Eligibility Quiz.
FAQ: I did not receive benefits and believe my child was eligible, what do I do?
July 25, 2022
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NCDHHS has begun issuing Pandemic-EBT benefits for summer 2022. Between July 20 and 30, the families of approximately 948,000 children in the state will each receive a one-time payment of $391 to purchase healthy meals during summer break. Families can check their eligibility for Summer P-EBT using the new P-EBT eligibility quiz (also available in Spanish).
With these benefits, NCDHHS has now issued more than $2.16 billion in total P-EBT benefits to North Carolina families since the COVID-19 response began in 2020, helping families buy food for the 1.48 million North Carolina children.
June 23, 2022
North Carolina will issue Summer P-EBT benefits for eligible students and young children. Read the news release.
Is My Student/Child Eligible? Summer P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions
There is no application for P-EBT, however, to be eligible:
- Students must be approved for National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-price meals (FRP). If your student is not already approved, an application for NSLP FRP must be submitted to your local school district by Aug. 31, 2022 to be considered for Summer P-EBT benefits.
- Children 5 years old or younger that aren’t students must be part of a household that participates in Food and Nutrition Services (FNS). If not already participating, you must apply for FNS by Aug. 31, 2022 to be considered for Summer P-EBT benefits.
May 24, 2022
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North Carolina intends to issue Summer P-EBT benefits for eligible students and children at the end of July if federal approval is received. More information will be posted to this page as it becomes available.
May 12, 2022
- Next week, North Carolina’s youngest children who are eligible for food assistance benefits will begin to receive extra monthly benefits tied to the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2021-2022 school year. North Carolina is among the first states in the nation to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a 2021-2022 Child Care Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer food assistance program. See if your child is eligible.