Every month, Texas families lose their food benefits for one simple reason: a missed renewal. SNAP (food stamps) does not renew itself. When your certification period ends, HHSC must hear from you — on time — or your case closes and the money stops loading onto your Lone Star Card. Here is exactly how renewal works and how to keep your benefits without a gap.
How renewal works
When you are approved for SNAP, you are certified for a set period — often 6 or 12 months. Before that period ends, HHSC sends you a renewal notice (by mail, and in your YourTexasBenefits account if you have one). You must complete the renewal before your certification period ends. Start as soon as the notice arrives — renewals take time to process, and any problem is far easier to fix while your case is still open.
The fastest way to renew
- Go to YourTexasBenefits.com (or open the Your Texas Benefits mobile app) and log in.
- Open your case and choose Renew Benefits.
- Answer the questions about your household, address, jobs, and income as they are now — not as they were when you first applied.
- Upload the documents HHSC asks for (phone photos of documents are accepted — make them clear and readable).
- Submit, and keep the confirmation. Then check your case status in the same account a few days later.
You can also renew by returning the paper form HHSC mails you, by fax, or in person at a local HHSC benefits office. If you are stuck or locked out of your account, call 2-1-1 and choose the benefits option.
Documents to have ready
- Proof of income for the last 30 days (pay stubs, or a benefits award letter for Social Security, SSI, unemployment, or child support).
- Anything that changed: a new address, a new job or lost job, someone moving in or out of your home, a new baby.
- Rent or mortgage amount and utility costs, if asked.
The interview
HHSC may schedule a phone interview as part of your renewal. If you get an interview notice, do not miss it — a missed interview is one of the most common reasons renewals fail. If the time does not work, call right away to reschedule.
Report changes between renewals, too
Do not wait for renewal to report big changes — a new address, a change in who lives with you, or income going up or down. Reporting changes promptly protects you from overpayments you would have to pay back.
If your case already closed
Do not wait. Apply again right away at YourTexasBenefits.com — a new application can take up to 30 days to decide, so every day counts. Any balance already on your Lone Star Card stays yours to spend. And while you reapply, local food help is not closed to you: San Antonio food banks and free pantries do not require SNAP. See our SNAP payment dates & amounts guide and the free events calendar for food distributions near you.
Not on SNAP yet, or unsure what else your household qualifies for? Take the free 2-minute benefits checker and get a personalized guide by email.
Helpful links & phone numbers
- Renew online: YourTexasBenefits.com
- Benefits help line: dial 2-1-1 (option for state benefits)
- Lost or stolen Lone Star Card: 1-800-777-7328
- SNAP payment dates & new amounts: our November guide
- Deadline alerts (never miss a renewal window): sanantoniobenefits.com/benefits-calendar
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