SNAP · Guide
SNAP denied or cut? How to ask for a fair hearing
Last updated 2026-10-24 · Reviewed against official sources · Editorial standards
Key takeaways
- If you disagree with a decision on your SNAP case, you can ask for a fair hearing.
- Ask within 90 days of the decision. You can ask by phone, in writing or in person at your local SNAP office.
- If your benefits are being cut or stopped and you ask before the date in your notice, they can continue until the decision.
- For a state level hearing, the state must hold it and send a decision within 60 days of your request.
- You can see your case file, bring witnesses and have someone present your case.
What a fair hearing is
A fair hearing is a review of your case by an official who did not make the first decision. The law requires this official to look at the facts in a fair way. The official cannot have a personal stake in your case or be the supervisor of the worker who decided it. A hearing cannot change the SNAP laws, but it can make sure the rules were applied to you correctly.
You can use it for a denied application, a benefit cut, a case that was closed or any other action that affects your SNAP.
How to ask for a fair hearing
- Say it clearly. A request is any clear statement, spoken or written, that you want to appeal a decision. You do not need a special form.
- Watch the date. Count 90 days from the day the office made the decision. During your certification period, you can also ask at any time to dispute your current benefit amount.
- Ask for your papers. The agency must give you, at no charge, the papers you need to decide whether to ask for a hearing and to prepare for it.
- Ask for help. The agency must help with your request if you ask. It must also tell you about legal services that may represent you.
If your benefits are being cut or stopped, ask before the date in your notice to keep getting them while you wait. If the hearing goes against you, you may have to pay back the extra benefits.
Fair hearing time limits
| Step | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Ask for a hearing | Within 90 days of the decision you disagree with |
| Notice of the hearing date | At least 10 days before the hearing, unless you ask for less |
| Delay the hearing, if you ask | Up to 30 days |
| State level decision | Within 60 days of your request |
| A decision that raises benefits | Usually in your EBT account within 10 days of the decision |
Some states first hold a hearing at the local level. You can appeal a local decision to the state.
Your rights at the hearing
You or your representative can look at the case file and the papers the agency will use, before and during the hearing. You can present your case yourself or have a lawyer or another person do it. You can bring witnesses and other proof, and you can question what the agency says. Friends or family can come with you. If you miss the hearing without a good reason, the agency can dismiss your request.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to ask for a fair hearing?
Ask within 90 days of the day your local SNAP office made the decision. During your certification period, you can also ask at any time to dispute your current benefit amount.
Will my SNAP stop while I wait?
If you ask before the date in your notice of a cut or stop, and your certification period has not ended, your benefits continue at the same level until the decision. If you lose, the extra amount can become a debt.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. You can present your case yourself, or a lawyer or another person can do it for you. The agency must tell you about legal services that may help.
Is there a quicker option than a hearing?
Some agencies offer an agency conference, an informal meeting with a supervisor. It is optional and it does not delay or replace the fair hearing.
Sources
- USDA, Am I Eligible for SNAP?: Household, income and resource rules, deductions, the interview, the 30-day decision and fair hearings; income table for Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. Read 2026-10-24.
- eCFR, 7 CFR 273.15, Fair hearings: Deadline, how to ask, continued benefits, hearing rights and the 60-day decision. Read 2026-10-24.
- USDA, SNAP State Directory of Resources: Each state's SNAP agency, website and phone line. Read 2026-10-24.