FoodShare: SNAP in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin SNAP is called FoodShare, which is why searching for "food stamps" can leave you on the wrong page. Here is where to apply, what the income limits actually are, and the number to call.
- How to apply
- Online · Paper · Phone · In person
- Income limit
- $2,610
- first figure the state publishes
- Decision
- 30 days
- federal rule; 7 if expedited
- Program name
- FoodShare
How do I apply for SNAP in Wisconsin?
Four ways. Online through ACCESS at https://access.wi.gov (Spanish at https://access.wi.gov/s/?language=es) - select 'Apply for benefits'. Call your county or tribal agency. Visit your agency. Or fill in the paper FoodShare Application, form F-16019. DHS warns: only use ACCESS to apply for and manage benefits. The MyACCESS mobile app shows benefit information; the ebtEDGE app manages the card. Pre-screen with 'See if you can get help' in ACCESS.
Who qualifies for SNAP in Wisconsin?
People with limited money for food, of any age: low-paid workers, people on a small or fixed income, retired people, people who lost a job, people with disabilities who cannot work. Family gross monthly income (everyone in the household, before taxes and deductions) is the test. DHS states that getting FoodShare does not affect a noncitizen's immigration status (public charge applies only to cash assistance and institutional long-term care). Separate pages cover FoodShare Basic Work Rules and the FoodShare Work Requirement.
What is the income limit for SNAP in Wisconsin?
| Household size | Gross monthly income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $2,610 |
| 2 | $3,526 |
| 3 | $4,442 |
| 4 | $5,360 |
| 5 | $6,276 |
| 6 | $7,192 |
| 7 | $8,110 |
| 8 | $9,026 |
| Each extra person | +$918 |
The first table the state publishes; the full wording, with net limits and maximum benefits where Wisconsin prints them, is below.
DHS publishes 'Effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026' (200% FPL gross income limit / 130% FPL gross income limit reporting limit / maximum allotment): 1 $2,610 / $1,696 / $298; 2 $3,526 / $2,292 / $546; 3 $4,442 / $2,888 / $785; 4 $5,360 / $3,483 / $994; 5 $6,276 / $4,079 / $1,183; 6 $7,192 / $4,675 / $1,421; 7 $8,110 / $5,271 / $1,571; 8 $9,026 / $5,867 / $1,789; 9 $9,944 / $6,463 / $2,007; 10 $10,862 / $7,059 / $2,225; each additional person +$918 / +$596 / +$218. Passing the 200% FPL gross test earns credits that are subtracted from gross income. These are the figures Wisconsin publishes itself — we do not copy them from the federal table, because several states set a higher limit than the federal one and Alaska and Hawaii have their own entirely.
What do I need to bring?
Not itemized on the Wisconsin page we read. Expect proof of identity, address, income and expenses; the caseworker tells you exactly what is missing.
How long does SNAP take in Wisconsin?
Federal law gives states 30 days, and 7 days if you qualify as an emergency (expedited). This state does not confirm those figures on its own page. If you need food this week, a food pantry does not make you wait.
Worth knowing in Wisconsin
The name is FoodShare, not SNAP - that is what people search for in Wisconsin. Benefits sit on the Wisconsin QUEST card. Wisconsin uses broad-based categorical eligibility, so the headline limit is 200% FPL and the 130% figure is only the change-reporting threshold. The FoodShare home page was last revised 24 February 2026 and the how-to-apply page 30 April 2026. DHS has separate pages for the 2025 federal work requirement, six-month reporting, renewals and replacement food benefits.
Same office, second bill
In most states the office that runs SNAP also runs energy assistance, and having one makes the other faster. Help with your electric bill in Wisconsin →
Read on dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare on Sep 10, 2026. Income limits are the ones Wisconsin publishes itself — never copied from the federal table or another state, because several states set a higher limit and Alaska and Hawaii have their own. Federal rules changed in 2025, so figures move: last review Sep 10, 2026, and we re-check monthly. If a number here does not match what the state tells you, the state is right.
Checked by the PocketBoosters team against the official source. How we check this →
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