Pandemic EBT Information

P-EBT SY 2021-2022

Eligibility for P-EBT benefits for the 2021-2022 school year has changed from previous years. The benefits that will be issued are based on the 2021-2022 school year (August 2021-June 2022). Once those benefits are issued, there will be no further benefit issuances. Please review the questions and answers on this page to better understand the program and what makes students eligible for benefits for this school year.

P-EBT Informational Flyer SY 2021-2022 - English

P-EBT Informational Flyer SY 2021-2022 - Spanish

P-EBT SY 2020-2021

*The information below is for SY 2020-2021 ONLY*

There are no further benefits issued for SY 2020-2021 school year. DWSS staff are working through returned P-EBT mail and contacting Primary Guardians as listed in the 2020-2021 school’s registration system for updated addresses when not provided by the USPS. 2020-2021 Primary Guardians can update their address in the P-EBT section of the DWSS Access Nevada website. Please note that this updated address feature is for P-EBT card issuance purposes only and only for cards not yet received from the 2020-2021 school year. DWSS will not report this data to any school and strongly encourages parents to ensure that their address is up to date with their child’s school registration system for the 2021-2022 school year.

General Information

What is the P-EBT, or Pandemic EBT Emergency School Meals Program?

The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA); Continuing Appropriation Act, 2020, and other extensions acts allows children who are enrolled and eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to receive a food benefit via an electronic benefit card for days that they did not receive a meal service at the school because of a COVID related absence or school closure.

Who runs the P-EBT program?

The P-EBT program is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is administered in Nevada by the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Central Office P-EBT unit, in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) and the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA).

Can P-EBT affect my or my family's immigration status?

No. You will not be asked about your or your child's immigration status or citizenship. P-EBT is not considered under a Public Charge.

P-EBT Eligibility

Who is eligible for P-EBT benefits?

Students who are enrolled and eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2021-2022 school year. For the 2021-2022 school year, students are only eligible for P-EBT benefits for days that they did not receive a meal service at the school because of a COVID related absence or school closure. Additionally, students at each school with qualifying absences will only be eligible for P-EBT benefits once the school has experienced a closure or had reduced attendance that were COVID related for 5 consecutive days.

Will benefits be loaded on my old card? I threw away my old P-EBT card because I thought it was a one-time thing. How do I get a new one?

No. As P-EBT is a COVID-19 related program and is not a permanent ongoing program, new P-EBT cards will be issued for the 2021-2022 school year. Students on a SNAP and/or TANF case will receive their P-EBT benefit on their household’s existing EBT card if the head of household on that case is also listed as the Primary Guardian in the school’s registration system for the 2021-2022 school year.

I didn't apply for free or reduced school meals because we were distance learning, how can I apply for P-EBT?

There is no application process for the P-EBT Program, however, Students must be enrolled in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to be eligible for P-EBT benefits. Enrollment in the NSLP is done either through an application process with the student’s school or they may be automatically enrolled by the school if the student attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school.

Please note, P-EBT eligibility is determined on a school year basis. In order to be eligible for P-EBT benefits, students must be enrolled in the NSLP and actively enrolled during the school year for which the P-EBT benefits are intended. For example: Students who received P-EBT benefits for the 2020-2021 school year (August 2020-June 2021) must have been enrolled and eligible for NSLP and attended school during the 2020-2021 school year.

Additionally, if your child attended school virtually during the 2021-2022 school year they would only be eligible for P-EBT benefits if they attended virtually due to COVID-19. The school that they attended must also participate in the NSLP. Students enrolled in virtual academies are not eligible for P-EBT benefits.

I didn't receive P-EBT last year, will I receive them this year?

This depends on if you meet the eligibility criteria. Receiving previous benefits does not guarantee or prevent subsequent benefits. Please note, based on the P-EBT eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT benefits will only be issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying COVID-19 absences or are attending school virtually due to COVID-19.

Will my graduated senior receive P-EBT?

If your child graduated and was enrolled in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and met the P-EBT eligibility criteria for the intended year of the P-EBT benefits, then they would be eligible. Please note, based on the P-EBT eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT benefits will only be issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying COVID-19 absences or are attending school virtually due to COVID-19.

Do my charter school child/children qualify for P-EBT benefits if they were receiving free and/or reduced-price meals?

The program is available for any student who was enrolled in and their school participated in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and met the P-EBT eligibility criteria for the intended year of the P-EBT benefits. Please note, based on the P-EBT eligibility rules for the 2021-2022 school year, P-EBT benefits will only be issued to FRL eligible students who have a qualifying COVID-19 absences or are attending school virtually due to COVID-19.

What if I have shared custody of my children?

Children who are eligible for P-EBT will have their card sent in the child’s name to the address of the individual listed as the Primary Guardian in the school's registration system for the school year that the P-EBT benefits are intended. P-EBT benefits cannot be split on two cards, but parents are encouraged to share a P-EBT card if custody is shared.

This is for P-EBT benefits only and does not apply to any other benefits administered by the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services.

My child's non-custodial parent got last year's benefit sent to them, will they get it this year?

It depends on who is listed as the Primary Guardian in your child’s school registration system (for example: Infinite Campus) during for the school year that the P-EBT benefits are intended.

How can I change my address?

The Primary Guardian can make address updates in the P-EBT section of the DWSS Access Nevada website (Access Nevada). Please note, if your address had changed and not updated through the school’s registration system prior to May 31, 2022, the P-EBT card will be mailed to the previously listed address of the primary guardian for the 2021-2022 school year. Any returned P-EBT cards will be sent to the DWSS P-EBT Unit to be processed and resent to the updated address provided by the primary guardian or a forwarding address if provided by the United States Postal Service.

My family receives SNAP benefits and received SNAP Emergency Allotment supplements. Will this have any effect on if or when my qualified child/children will receive the P-EBT food benefits?

P-EBT benefits are NOT SNAP benefits. Therefore, eligibility for or receipt of P-EBT benefits is not affected by your receipt of SNAP or the SNAP Emergency Allotment supplements.

Can children still get meals from schools or other organizations if we get P-EBT?

Yes, P-EBT benefits are based on the 2021-2022 school year and will not affect a student’s ability to receive brown bag meals from schools or other organizations. The purpose of the program is to replace free or reduced priced meals that they would have otherwise received at the school had it not been for a COVID-19 related absence or school closure.

Receiving and Using P-EBT Benefits

When will my benefit arrive?

The first set of P-EBT benefits for the school months of August 2021-November 2021 will go out September 14^th-23^rd. The second set of P-EBT benefits for the school months of December 2021-February 2022 and Summer P-EBT will be available October 14^th-23^rd. The third set of P-EBT benefits for the months of March 2022-June 2022 will go out November 14^th-23^rd.

Please note, for P-EBT only cases you should expect to receive your P-EBT card 3-4 weeks after the benefits are issued. This is to allow the card vendor adequate processing time.

Will I get all of my benefits at once or in separate payments?

P-EBT benefits will be issued in 3 separate issuances between the months of September, October, and November of 2022. For each given month, the benefits will be staggered during the calendar days of 14^th -23^rd. This is done to not burden retailers and to meet USDA’s requirements for P-EBT. Benefits are based on the 2021-2022 school year (August 2021-June 2022) and will be issued as follows:

For school year months, August 2021-November 2021

Benefits will be issued in September 14^th-23^rd 2022

For school year months, December 2021-February 2022 & Summer P-EBT benefits

Benefits will be issued in October 14^th-23^rd 2022

For school year months, March 2022-June 2022

Benefits will be issued in November 14^th-23^rd 2022

***Any data clean up from the 2020-2021 SY and any students missed during the 2021- 2022 school year will be issued in November 2022

Please note, for P-EBT only cases you should expect to receive your P-EBT card 3-4 weeks after the benefits are issued. This is to allow the card vendor adequate processing time.

What should I do when I receive my P-EBT card in the mail?

P-EBT benefits may expire after 274 days if the card is left dormant. As soon as you receive your P-EBT card, please refer to the instructions on the P-EBT insert to activate the benefits by creating a four-digit PIN. In an effort to avoid benefit expungement, DWSS advises customers to make a small purchases with their P-EBT cards each month which will reset the 274 expungement calendar.

What food can I buy with my P-EBT benefits?

Covered by P-EBT:

Breads and cereals
Fruits and vegetables
Meats, fish, and poultry
Dairy products
Seeds and plants that produce food

Not covered by P-EBT:

Beer, wine or liquor
Cigarettes or tobacco
Vitamins and medicines
Food that can be eaten in-store
Prepared foods
Non-food items
Pet food, soaps, paper products and household supplies

How do I use the P-EBT benefits?

A P-EBT card is used like a bank debit card to buy food in any SNAP-certified store: most grocery stores, farmer’s markets, some corner stores, or to buy groceries online at Amazon, Walmart, and Save-Mart (depending on your area). To find an authorized retail food store near you, use the SNAP Retailer Locator.

Families can also visit EBTEdge online or download the EBT Edge mobile app from the Apple or Google Play stores to find retailers that accept EBT cards.

To use your card at checkout:
Select "EBT"
Swipe the card
Enter your private four-digit PIN

What should I do if I am having issues activating my new P-EBT card?

Contact the FIS customer service number on the back of the card at (866) 281-2443 or the FIS Website at https://www.fisglobal.com/en/ebtedgemobile if you are experiencing problems with your P-EBT card.

Questions?

Contact the P-EBT Center - Northern Nevada at 1-775-684-8740 or Southern Nevada at 1-702-486-9640.

Please note, that DWSS, NDA, and NDE frontline staff will not be able to assist you with any P-EBT inquiries or issues. Additionally, P-EBT only cards must be issued through the P-EBT call center as well as the FIS customer service representatives.