Washington Basic Food (SNAP) — FY2027 Eligibility Pre-Check
Washington's Basic Food standards changed on October 1, 2026 (WSR 26-20-065). Enter your household facts and check against the new figures — with the old ones shown so you can see what moved. Nothing is uploaded.
What changed on October 1, 2026. Annual USDA cost-of-living adjustment: gross/net income limits, maximum allotments, the standard deduction ($24 → $25 minimum allotment basis), shelter cap ($744 → $769), utility allowances (SUA $515 → $533, LUA $406 → $420, TUA $58 → $60), homeless deduction ($198 → $205) and the elderly/disabled resource limit ($4,500 → $4,750). The $10 first-month proration floor is unchanged.
FY2027 standards, side by side with FY2026
Household (AU) size
Gross income 130% (old → new)
Net 100% (old → new)
Max allotment (old → new)
1
$1,696 → $1,729
$1,305 → $1,330
$298 → $306
2
$2,292 → $2,345
$1,763 → $1,804
$546 → $562
3
$2,888 → $2,960
$2,221 → $2,277
$785 → $808
4
$3,483 → $3,575
$2,680 → $2,750
$994 → $1,023
5
$4,079 → $4,191
$3,138 → $3,224
$1,183 → $1,217
6
$4,675 → $4,806
$3,596 → $3,697
$1,421 → $1,463
7
$5,271 → $5,421
$4,055 → $4,170
$1,571 → $1,616
8
$5,867 → $6,037
$4,513 → $4,644
$1,789 → $1,841
9–17 members: +$616 gross / +$474 net per additional person (was +$596/+$459); allotment +$225 per person for 9–17; maximum allotment $3,887 for 18+. Source: WAC 388-478-0060 via WSR 26-20-065.
Not run: the net-income test with deductions (standard deduction, shelter cap, utility allowances — all listed above), categorical eligibility, immigration-status rules, and Washington's state-funded expansion. Those happen at DSHS.
Frequently asked
What are the new income limits?
See the table above — gross 130% limits start at $1,729 for one person. Households with a member 60+ or disabled are screened under the net-income test with different thresholds (WAC 388-478-0060 exceptions).
What is the resource limit?
$4,750 for AUs with an elderly or disabled member (was $4,500). Other households have a lower standard per WAC 388-446-0015.
Why no benefits in month one?
Benefits are prorated by application day in a 30-day month; if the prorated amount is under $10, nothing is issued for that month (WAC 388-412-0015).
Is this a DSHS determination?
No — an educational pre-check against WSR 26-20-065. Apply at Washington Connection; DSHS decides.
FAQ
What are the Washington Basic Food income limits from October 1, 2026?
For an AU of one the gross monthly income limit (130% of poverty) is $1,729; two $2,345; three $2,960; four $3,575; five $4,191; six $4,806; seven $5,421; eight $6,037; each additional member +$616 (WAC 388-478-0060, per WSR 26-20-065).
What is the resource limit for Washington Basic Food?
An AU with an elderly or disabled member may have countable resources up to $4,750 (was $4,500). Other households have a lower standard — see WAC 388-446-0015.
Why might I get no benefits in my first month?
Benefits are prorated from the application date within a 30-day month. If your prorated first-month benefit is under $10, no allotment is issued for that month (WAC 388-412-0015).
Is this an official DSHS determination?
No. It is an educational pre-check against published FY2027 figures (WSR 26-20-065). Washington DSHS and its Washington Connection portal make the binding determination, including the net-income and deduction steps this page does not compute.
All rule packs · Contact Verified against: WSR 26-20-065 (Washington State Register issue 26-20); WAC 388-412-0015, 388-450-0162, 388-478-0060, 388-446-0015. Effective October 1, 2026; figures re-asserted in CI. Educational pre-check, not a benefits determination.