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Utah Summer P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer)

    • Benefits were issued as a one time payment in July 2023 or September 2023 (for students attending schools that did not make the July deadline). In the amount of $40 per month for a total benefit of $120 per eligible student.
    • If your student was eligible for free or reduced-price meals by May 1, 2023 and your student did not received benefits you had to report this to your School District or Charter School Meal Program Department on or before August 23, 2023.

    Father reading to baby

    What is Summer P-EBT

    The Summer P-EBT program has been approved for Summer 2023. To qualify, your child must

    • be enrolled in a brick and mortar National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participating school on May 1, 2023 - List of Utah NSLP Schools May 2023
    • be eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the 2022-23 school year
    • be enrolled in a Community Eligible Provision or Provision 2 school

    If you were not determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the 2022-23 school year by May 1, 2023, your student will not be eligible for Summer 2023 PEBT.

    Homeschool and virtual students ARE NOT eligible for Summer 2023 PEBT.

    Summer P-EBT can help you purchase food during the summer months. The benefit for Summer P-EBT is a one-time payment of $120 per eligible student. Eligible students can also take part in local summer meal programs. Use the Summer Site locator tool to find the summer meal program nearest you starting in May 2023.

    The due date for free reduced meal applications was May 1 2023.

    *We would encourage you to contact your local school if you would like to apply for free or reduced-price meals. Applications received after May 1, 2023, will not be accepted for eligibility for P-EBT. For questions about free or reduced-priced meals contact your local school. Utahns Against Hunger has a tool for contacting your school.

    Language Translations

    Do I have to apply for P-EBT?

    Student’s will automatically receive the Summer 2023 P-EBT benefit if they were eligible for free reduced meals as of May 1, 2023. (See the information in the previous section for eligibility details.)

    How will the P-EBT benefits be paid?

    Students who received SNAP from September 2022 to May 2023 will receive their Summer 2023 P-EBT benefits on their SNAP EBT card. Check for P-EBT funds to be added to the SNAP EBT card by the end of July 2023. 

    Schools issued P-EBT benefits  between July 13 and July 23, 2023. These benefits will expire on April 12, 2024 and once benefits expire they cannot be re-issued.  Please make sure you use each card prior to this date to avoid losing benefits.

    For non-SNAP households, if you qualify for free reduced meals with your school, and had P-EBT benefits previously, your benefits may be added to your existing P-EBT card. If you no longer have this card, you can request a replacement card by sending an email to PEBT@utah.gov to request a new card.  You will need to include the names and birthdates of all children that were enrolled in school during the 2022/2023 or 2021/2022 school year,  the name of all parents living in the home, and your full mailing address.

    PEBT cards for new Summer 2023 PEBT participants can not be requested before the benefits are issued in July 2023. 

    If the school your children attended is on the list of schools on the link above and you have not received a deposit to your existing SNAP or PEBT account or you have not received a new card by August 1, 2023, please send an email to PEBT@utah.gov with:

    • Names and birthdate for all school children as of May 2023
    • School and District attended for each child
    • Names of ALL parents/guardians living in the home
    • Your full mailing address

    **VIRTUAL AND HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUMMER 2023 PEBT.**

    How do I use the P-EBT card?

    If a new card is required, you will need to activate your card before using it. You may use it to purchase food.

    Follow the steps below when using your card:

    • Activate your card before shopping by selecting your PIN. You will receive instructions on how to set your PIN with your card.
    • When selecting your PIN you will be restricted from selecting numbers that are considered High Risk such as 1111, 5567, 6543, 1234, 1581. You will need to select 4 unique numbers and none of those numbers can be in order either forward or backward. If you hear a message after entering in 4 numbers that states you have made an invalid selection you will need to choose a different PIN.
    • Download the connectebt mobile app or make yourself familiar with the website connectebt.com
    • Before you shop, always check your balance.
    • At the store, choose EBT on the card reader machine and swipe your card.
    • Enter your PIN on the keypad. The machine will show ****.
    • Press the OK or ENTER key.
    • The cashier will enter the purchase amount, which will then be displayed on the card reader machine.
    • If the amount is correct, press the YES key.
    • The cashier will hand you your receipt. Please make sure the information on the receipt is correct.
    • Keep this receipt so you will know your new balance the next time you shop.

    P-EBT cards can be used like debit cards at most stores that sell food. You can see a list of approved stores in your area by entering your zip code into the retailer locator.  

    Below is a list of items you can and cannot purchase.

    You CAN buy unprepared foods such as:

    • Bread and cereals
    • Fruits and vegetables
    • Meats, fish, and poultry
    • Dairy products 
    • Plants and seeds to grow food  

    You CANNOT buy items such as:

    • Prepared foods, i.e., hot foods and foods that can be eaten in the store
    • Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
    • Non-food items, i.e., pet food, soap, paper products, cleaning supplies
    • Vitamins and medicines
    • Personal hygiene items, i.e., shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, cosmetics

    Save your P-EBT card in the event that you receive additional P-EBT funds.


    For Information about the 2021-22 School Year P-EBT or Summer 2022 P-EBT please click here.

    FAQ’s

    Why do I have a new case/account number?

    A new account may have been created for Summer 2023 benefits. This happened due to differences between the student record reported this year and the information reported in a previous P-EBT year.

    How do I set/ change the PIN on my P-EBT card? 

    To set or change your PIN:

    Call the number on the back of the card. 

    Enter your Card Number

    Enter your mailing zip code

    Enter the date of birth of the child (usually the oldest student but you should try each student, even one now graduated but who received P-EBT in a previous year)

    Select your 4-digit PIN.

    You CANNOT use the same number more than once

    You CANNOT use any pattern (such as 2468)

    No 2 numbers can be in order forward or backward

    Error Messages:

    • The information you entered is "Incorrect"

    ○  This means the mailing zip code or date of birth is not correct (Try another child DOB).

    ■  If you are not able to get any birthdates to work, send an email to PEBT@utah.gov with the name of the child(ren), birthdate of child(ren), mailing address, and names of all parents living in the home for assistance.

    ■  Also include the last 4 digits of the card number you are having issues with

    • The PINs do not match

    ○  This means the confirmation PIN you entered was different than the first number you entered

    • The PIN you selected is "Invalid"

    ○  This means you selected a number that is not allowed and you will need to choose a different number

    You will know you have successfully selected a PIN if you hear a message stating so and you hear your card balance.

    How do I know if my child is eligible for P-EBT benefits?

    Any student that was eligible for free or reduced-price meals and received a notification letter from their school district for school year 2022-23 (breakfast and/or lunch) may receive a P-EBT benefit. 

    The due date for requests to review student benefits to be reconsidered for issuance of Summer 2023 P-EBT benefits will be August 23, 2023. If you have checked your card and no benefits are issued by the end of July 2023, you can contact your school district/charter school food nutrition service department with questions about your students eligibility or to report not being issued benefits.

    Is an application required for this program? If missing benefits were not reported by this date, no benefits will be issued for Summer 2023 PEBT.

    An application for P-EBT is not required, however you must be signed up and receive a letter notifying you of your eligible status for free or reduced-price school meals to participate in P-EBT. We encourage you to contact your local school if you would like to apply for free or reduced-price meals. 

    • The deadline to apply for free or reduced-price school meals was May 1, 2023. Applications for free or reduced-price school lunch had to be received by your school online or postmarked by this date to be processed for P-EBT eligibility. Utahns Against Hunger has a tool for contacting your school. 

    How much money will I receive? 

    The benefit for Summer 2023 P-EBT is $40 per month for a total of $120 per qualifying student. The benefit will be issued one time for the whole amount.


    How will my child receive these benefits?

    P-EBT benefits will be issued on an EBT card, similar to a debit card.

    • Children who received SNAP in May 2023 should receive the payment to the SNAP account they were included in.
      • A new PEBT account will be created for students who were not open on SNAP in May 2023, or had a difference in the information reported by the school that does not match the SNAP case.
    • Children that did not receive SNAP in May 2023 will receive their payment on a PEBT account.
      • If the child received a payment on a previous PEBT account, the payment will be issued to that same account as long as the parent/guardian is the same.
      • A new PEBT account will be created for students who were not open on SNAP in May 2023, have not received PEBT in the past, or had a difference in the information reported by the school. These cards will be mailed at the time the payments are processed.

    Please check your balance/deposits by calling the number on the back of the card for each card you have (SNAP/PEBT).  If you have not received your payment for eligible children by Aug 1, 2023, please email PEBT@utah.gov with the names and birthdates of your school children, names of all parents living in the home, school and district the child attends, and your full USPS mailing address.

    Please see the “How do I use the P-EBT card” section above for instructions on how to use your card.


    When will these benefits be available? 

    P-EBT benefits will be distributed by the end of July 2023. If your school district/charter school food service department is participating, you can check with them to confirm your student’s eligibility. The P-EBT team will only be able to let you know that a benefit has been issued for your student once the payment has been processed in the last week of July 2023. Please check with your school district/charter school food service department for more information on your student’s eligibility. You may also check your card for P-EBT benefits.


    Are they retroactive? 

    The benefits are only for the summer of 2023. Previous program years are closed and all reported benefits issued. If benefits have not been used and have expired they cannot be reissued.

    Where can I use the P-EBT card?

    The P-EBT card can be used at any retail food store that accepts SNAP EBT cards. Utah has more than 1,400 approved retailers that can accept and process SNAP purchases with an EBT card. These retailers range from supermarkets to convenience stores and farmer’s markets. You can see a list of approved stores in your area by entering your zip code into the retailer locator.


    Can my child still use their school’s summer meal program while receiving P-EBT?

    Yes, participating in the P-EBT program does not impact your child(ren)’s summer meal program or any future free or reduced-price meal eligibility.


    Will P-EBT be counted as a public charge?

    No, the use of these benefits does not impact your or your child(ren)’s immigration status. The public charge test will not consider P-EBT benefits.


    How long are these benefits valid?

    You must use these benefits within 274 days of when they are issued. Once benefits have expired from the card they cannot be reissued.


    What if I have moved?

    Please make sure that your correct mailing address is listed with your school for each of your students. If you need to change the address associated with your P-EBT card please refer to the section below and include the requested information in your contact email.


    If I can’t find my answer in this FAQ, who can I contact?

    You can contact your school district/charter school food service department for eligibility questions including: 

    • Has my school submitted their request for Summer P-EBT payments?
    • Was my child included in the request? 
    • Was my child eligible for Summer P-EBT?

    IF you need to replace your P-EBT card, are having issues with your P-EBT card, or need to update your mailing address for an existing account (for Summer 2023 P-EBT card issues including address updates, we will be unable to assist you until after July 15, 2023):

    • Send an email to PEBT@utah.gov with the following information:
      • Subject Line: PEBT Card Issues 
      • Body of the email: 
        • Description of your issue 
        • Full name (name used to register your student for school) for all children who were enrolled as of May 1, 2023 
        • Birthdates for all children who were enrolled as of May 1, 2023
        • State Student ID or SSID for each child (this is not required but is most accurate to locate accounts; do not submit your child’s’ school lunch number.)
        • Your full mailing address including any apartment, lot, unit numbers and zip code 
        • The name of all parents/guardians living in the home (list the name(s) as they are reported with the school) 
        • Your contact information

    If I can’t find my answer in this FAQ, who can I contact?

    You can send an email with your inquiry to pebt@utah.gov all customer service is done via email, there is no phone contact currently.  Please allow 3 business days for a response