Key Takeaways
- Tennessee EBT loads from the 1st to the 20th, by your SSN's last two digits.
- A federal court voided Tennessee's candy and soda ban in June 2026; USDA is appealing.
- Tennessee didn't sign up for federal Summer EBT in 2026, forgoing about $84 million.
- Tennessee's 9.44% error rate means a 10% benefit cost share from October 2027.
Tennessee (TN) spreads SNAP over the 1st through the 20th of each month, using the last two digits of the head of household’s Social Security number. An SSN ending in 89, for example, loads on the 18th.
The ban on buying candy and soda with SNAP that Tennessee planned for July 31 never started. A federal judge threw out the waiver in June, so those items are still eligible while USDA appeals.
Tennessee EBT Deposit Dates
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) uses 20 groups of five. Find the last two digits of the SSN of the person who heads your case:
| SSN ends in | Loads on | SSN ends in | Loads on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00–04 | 1st | 50–54 | 11th |
| 05–09 | 2nd | 55–59 | 12th |
| 10–14 | 3rd | 60–64 | 13th |
| 15–19 | 4th | 65–69 | 14th |
| 20–24 | 5th | 70–74 | 15th |
| 25–29 | 6th | 75–79 | 16th |
| 30–34 | 7th | 80–84 | 17th |
| 35–39 | 8th | 85–89 | 18th |
| 40–44 | 9th | 90–94 | 19th |
| 45–49 | 10th | 95–99 | 20th |
If you’ve seen a chart that uses only the last digit, it’s out of date. The state’s SNAP page has the official issuance schedule. Your first payment after approval can come on a different day, since it covers the days back to your application.
The Candy and Soda Ban That Didn’t Happen
USDA approved Tennessee’s request in December 2025 to stop SNAP from buying soda, energy drinks and candy, starting July 31, 2026. On June 22, 2026, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. vacated it in a case called Aragon v. Rollins.
The ruling covered five states: Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia. The judge found USDA didn’t have the authority to approve these waivers the way it did. USDA filed an appeal in August, and as of mid-October its own waiver page still lists Tennessee’s as vacated.
So for now, nothing changes at the register in Tennessee. If the appeals court sides with USDA, the ban could come back with fresh notice.
Meanwhile, Texas and Virginia have restrictions that aren’t part of the case. My soda and candy ban list keeps the current status for every state.
Tennessee SNAP Amounts and Income Limits
Tennessee sets its gross income limit at 130% of the poverty line, the federal floor, but drops the asset test for most households. These FY2027 figures run October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027:
| Household | Gross monthly limit | Max SNAP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,729 | $306 |
| 2 | $2,345 | $562 |
| 3 | $2,960 | $808 |
| 4 | $3,575 | $1,023 |
| 5 | $4,191 | $1,217 |
| 6 | $4,806 | $1,463 |
Seven people can get up to $1,616 and eight up to $1,841.
People who are disabled or 60 and older skip the gross test and only have to pass the net one. That doesn’t always mean much money, though. Roy, 61, lives alone in Knoxville on $1,850 a month from SSDI, which is over the $1,729 limit for one:
- Standard deduction: −$217
- Medical costs over $35: −$85, leaving $1,548
- Rent and utilities of $1,150, minus half his remaining income: −$376
- Net income: $1,172, under the $1,330 net limit
- 30% of net ($352) is more than the $306 maximum
On paper Roy’s benefit works out to zero. Because he’s eligible and lives alone, he gets the $25 minimum instead. I explain why so many seniors and disabled readers end up there in my post on the $25 SNAP minimum.
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No Summer EBT for Tennessee Kids
Families in most states get $120 per school-age child each summer through Summer EBT, also called SUN Bucks. Tennessee didn’t file its intent to take part for 2026, USDA confirmed. It skipped 2025 as well.
Advocates put the federal money Tennessee passed up at about $84 million, enough to reach roughly 700,000 children. In 2025 the state ran its own smaller version, paying the same $120 per child to about 18,000 kids in 15 counties. My Summer EBT guide lists which states are in for next summer.
Tennessee’s Error Rate and the 10% Cost Share
Tennessee’s fiscal 2025 payment error rate was 9.44%, below the 10.62% national rate. Overpayments made up 7.84 points of it. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA), a rate between 8% and 10% means the state pays 10% of SNAP benefit costs starting October 1, 2027.
The Sycamore Institute puts that at about $162 million to $171 million a year. If Tennessee’s 2026 rate comes in under 6%, it owes nothing, and the state gets to use whichever year is lower.
The administrative side already hit. Tennessee now pays 75% of SNAP administrative costs, which added about $58 million to the TDHS budget. Your benefit formula stays the same.
What I’m Watching in Tennessee for 2027
- The appeal in Aragon v. Rollins. A win for USDA could bring the candy and soda ban back.
- Tennessee’s 2026 error rate, due around June 2027. Under 8% drops the bill to 5%; under 6% erases it.
- Summer EBT. The state has to file its intent for summer 2027 by January 1.
- Federal funding, which I follow in my SNAP funding risk tracker.
- FY2028 amounts in August.
I’ll update this page as each one lands.
Keeping Tennessee SNAP, and What to Do If You’re Denied
Work rules now reach more Tennesseans. Adults 18 to 64 without a child under 14 need 80 hours a month of work, training or volunteering after three months. If you lost a job, apply for Tennessee unemployment benefits too, and keep proof of your job search.
Report changes and upload documents through the TDHS online portal, or call the Family Assistance Service Center at 866-311-4287. My national SNAP guide has the full list of work-rule exemptions.
If you’re denied or your benefits are cut, you have 90 days from the notice to ask TDHS for a fair hearing. If you already get SNAP and ask before the change takes effect, your benefits continue until the hearing decision.
