SUN Bucks Frequently Asked Questions

Students may be eligible through either automatic eligibility or by applying:

1.    [Automatic Eligibility] Your student is automatically eligible for SUN Bucks and no further action is required to receive the benefits if they:

• Are between 5-18 years old and part of a household that participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF or cash assistance), or an income-eligible Medical Assistance program*; OR
• Are experiencing homelessness or in foster care; OR  
• Submitted an application for free or reduced-price school meals during the current school year that was approved; OR
• Submitted a 2024 SUN Bucks application on July 1, 2024 or later, were approved, and are still attending a school that offers the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
  
  * Some children age 5-18 who participate in an income-eligible Medical Assistance program but are not enrolled in school will need to complete a brief Medicaid opt-in form to confirm if they are preapproved.

2.    [Submitting a SUN Bucks Application] If your student does not get benefits automatically, you can apply to receive SUN Bucks if:  

• They attend a school that offers the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP). This includes all DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools and a select number of private schools; AND  
• Your household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

185% of the Federal Poverty Level - Effective July 1, 2024

No, receiving DC SUN Bucks will not affect your ability to receive other government benefits.

Eligibility for DC SUN Bucks is determined for each student individually, not the household. This means it is possible to have both eligible and ineligible students in your household.

Your homeschooled student is preapproved for DC SUN Bucks if they are between 5-18 years old and your household received SNAP or TANF between July 1, 2024 – August 25, 2025. They may also qualify if they are between 5-18 years old and your household participates in an income-eligible Medical Assistance program, but participants must complete the Medical Assistance opt-in form to check your Medical Assistance preapproval status.

Your student is preapproved for DC SUN Bucks if they meet preapproval criteria. If they are not preapproved, they are eligible for DC SUN Bucks and can apply to participate if they attend a school that offers the NSLP, and your household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

Click here to see if your child's school participates in NSLP. Households that are not preapproved may apply and be determined eligible for DC SUN Bucks if their student attends an NSLP school.

Your student is preapproved for DC SUN Bucks if they meet preapproval criteria. If they are not preapproved, they are eligible for DC SUN Bucks and can apply to participate if your student attends a private school that offers the NSLP (Washington Middle School for Girls, San Miguel School, Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys, or Dupont Park Adventist) and your household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. You can view a full list of NSLP participating schools here.

Yes, participating in a summer educational program does not affect a student’s eligibility for DC SUN Bucks.

Yes, your student’s SUN Bucks card will be issued by DC if your student is eligible in DC. DC SUN Bucks cards can be used at any retailer that accepts SNAP in any state.

SNAP and SUN Bucks are different programs with different eligibility requirements. It is possible for a student to be eligible for SUN Bucks and not eligible for SNAP. You can check if your household is eligible for SNAP here. SUN Bucks can be used at retailers that accept SNAP.

Your student can receive free meals at DC Youth Meals sites between June and August. The program is open to all students age 18 and younger. There is no application, sign-up, or ID required.

Starting the last day of school, you can find a summer meal site near you by:

• Visiting osse.dc.gov/dcyouthmeals
• Calling 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE
• Texting 914-342-7744 with the keyword “summer meals”

For additional information on food programs you may be eligible for, visit www.linkudmv.org.

While some families will need to apply for the DC SUN Bucks program, many students will be automatically eligible for it. To check if your child or children would be automatically enrolled or if they need to apply, read the eligibility criteria here.

You can apply online for DC SUN Bucks this summer once the application opens in June 2025. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. Parents and guardians can complete one application for all the eligible students in their household. A paper application will also be available to District residents who have difficulty accessing the online application. Instructions on how to find the paper application will also be made available June 2025.

The deadline to apply for DC SUN Bucks for summer 2025 benefits is August 25, 2025. However, the application remains open year-round, so applications received after that date will be considered for the following program year. Please note that approved applications submitted on or after July 1, 2025 will be used to determine eligibility for this summer and next summer.

Household income includes things like employment, disability benefits, public assistance, Social Security, pensions, veteran’s benefits, child support, alimony, cash contributions,and unemployment benefits. 

No, you do not need to report changes in your income once your application is approved. You will not be asked to pay back benefits if your income changes.

Yes, you can reapply for DC SUN Bucks any time before August 25 to eligible for benefits this summer.

It depends. If your student meets preapproval criteria in 2025, you will not need to apply. If you submitted a 2024 DC SUN Bucks application on July 1, 2024 or later, were approved,and are still attending an NSLP-participating school in DC, we will be able to carry over your eligibility and approve you for this year.

The application will ask about all the members of your household, your contact information, household income, the name of your student’s school, and your DCAS ID if you receive SNAP, TANF, or DC Medical Assistance. You do not need to attach any documentation when applying.

To save residents time applying, DC Government securely uses data we have from District programs that share eligibility requirements with SUN Bucks. For example, if your student receives SNAP, then we already know your family’s income is within the allowable limit to receive SUN Bucks.

It depends. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federal program that operates in most public and public charter schools and a few private schools. As part of this program, children who are part of households who meet income criteria can get free or low-cost meals at school.

In DC, most NSLP schools are called Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. These are schools that provide meals to all students at no cost without needing to submit a Free or Reduced-price school meal (FARM) application. Households can apply for DC SUN Bucks if their children attend an NSLP or CEP school.

Attending a CEP school does not automatically qualify you for DC SUN Bucks. Your student may be preapproved for DC SUN Bucks if they meet the preapproval criteria, such as participation in SNAP or TANF. Otherwise, you need to apply.

It depends on how your student is eligible:

• If your student has an active SNAP or TANF case, your DC SUN Bucks will be loaded on your household’s existing EBT card.
• If your student is preapproved but does not have an active SNAP or TANF case, you will be mailed a new DC SUN Bucks card in each eligible student’s name to the address on file with your student’s school or the best address we have on file for your student. It will arrive in a plain white envelope addressed from Fidelity Information Services (FIS). Call the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 to confirm the address we have on file.
• If your student submitted an application and was approved, you will be mailed a new DC SUN Bucks card in the student’s name to the address submitted on their application. It will arrive in a plain white envelope addressed from Fidelity Information Services (FIS).

Yes, you can change your mailing address by calling the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711. If your card has already been mailed, you can request another DC SUN Bucks card be reissued to your new address.

However, if your student has an active SNAP or TANF case, updating your DC SUN Bucks address will also update your mailing address directly with the DC Department of Human Services (DHS). Even though these students will receive benefits on their household’s EBT card instead of through the mail, keeping your mailing address up to date will ensure program information is mailed to your current address and help our DC SUN Bucks Call Center verify your identity if you need to reach out to us.

If you do not want to receive DC SUN Bucks benefits, you may opt out of the program by calling the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 or visit sunbucks.dc.gov. If you’ve already received your card in the mail, you should also cut it up.

You will receive the Notice of Eligibility Determination after your application is submitted. If your application is denied, the notice will state the reason for the denial. You may also reapply for DC SUN Bucks at any time before Aug. 25 if your circumstances change or if there was a mistake on the original application. You can appeal the decision by requesting a fair hearing.

You may appeal through any of the following methods:

• Calling the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711.
• Complete a Request for Hearing form and fax it to (202) 724-2041, or e-mail to [email protected];
• Go to the Office of Administrative Hearings Resource Center, located at 441 4th Street NW, Suite 450-North, Washington, DC 20001 and fill out a Request for Hearing form; or
• Have a representative request a hearing on your behalf so long as you submit a written authorization, designating that person as your representative within 10 days of the hearing request.

You have 90 days from August 25, 2025 to appeal the decision stated in the notice you received. If you do not appeal within 90 days of August 25, 2025, you may lose your right to appeal.

To be eligible for DC SUN Bucks, families must participate in an income-eligible Medical Assistance program and have a household income at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. If your child is between 5-18 years old and not enrolled in an NSLP school,they may not be automatically approved. You must complete the Medical Assistance opt-in form to verify their information and confirm if they are preapproved.

You can use a computer at any DC Public Library to submit an application online. A paper application will also be available to District residents who have difficulty accessing the online application.

You can contact the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 for assistance.

You can contact the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 for assistance.

Applicants will receive communication from DC SUN Bucks stating whether your application is approved or denied. In your application, remember to provide a valid email address and phone number so you can receive your eligibility information as soon as possible, as well as an address for mailing your card if you are approved.

A small percentage of applicants are selected to verify the income they reported in their application. This is required by federal regulations. To receive DC SUN Bucks benefits, selected households must respond to the verification request according to the instructions in their notice. You can view a sample DC SUN Bucks income verification notice here. If you were not selected to verify your income, you do not need to complete the verification process.

If your student is preapproved, you will be sent a preapproval notice by mail or email for each eligible student in late May or during the summer if they become preapproved after the school year end. You can also contact the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 to check your student’s eligibility status.

No action is required. If your student has an active SNAP or TANF case, your DC SUN Bucks will be loaded on your household’s existing EBT card as a one-time payment for the summer of $120 per eligible student. If your student does not have an active SNAP or TANF case, a new DC SUN Bucks card loaded with $120 will be mailed in your student’s name.

You will receive a Notice of Eligibility Determination after your application is submitted. If your application is denied, the notice will state the reason for the denial. You can appeal the decision by requesting a fair hearing.

You may appeal through any of the following methods:

• Complete a Request for Hearing form and fax it to (202) 724-2041, or e-mail to [email protected];
• Go to the Office of Administrative Hearings Resource Center, located at 441 4th Street NW, Suite 450-North, Washington, DC 20001 and fill out a Request for Hearing form; or
• Have a representative request a hearing on your behalf so long as you submit a written authorization, designating that person as your representative within 10 days of the hearing request.

If eligible, your student will receive benefits this summer between early June to early September depending on when they were preapproved or approved by application.

DC SUN Bucks benefits expire 122 days after the date they were issued to your child. If you do not use all of your remaining SUN Bucks benefits before they expire, they will no longer be available and they cannot be reissued. If you receive DC SUN Bucks in addition to regular active SNAP benefits on an existing EBT card, DC SUN Bucks will automatically be used before your SNAP benefits since they expire first. Please refer to your preapproval or approval notice for the specific expiration date so your family can plan.

To activate your DC SUN Bucks card and set a PIN, call the District’s EBT card vendor, FIS, at 888-304-9167.

1. When asked for your student’s social security number (SSN), enter all zeros: 000-00-0000.

2. When asked for your student’s date of birth (DOB), enter it as MM/DD/YYYY

3, When asked for your student’s ZIP code, enter for the five-digit ZIP of the address where the card was mailed.

4. You will then be asked to pick a four-digit PIN of your own choosing. Keep your PIN secure and never share it with anyone. If you cannot remember it or someone finds out your PIN, call FIS at 888-304-9167 to select a new PIN.

Do not throw away your DC SUN Bucks card! Benefits will be loaded to the same card in future years if your student is eligible, so keep your DC SUN Bucks card for use next summer.

If your student has a SNAP or TANF case, their DC SUN Bucks will be loaded on your household’s existing EBT card. If your student does not have a SNAP or TANF case, each eligible student will receive a new DC SUN Bucks card in their name. For example, if you have three eligible students, your household will receive three cards.

DC SUN Bucks can be used to purchase the same foods approved for SNAP, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. DC SUN Bucks cannot be used for hot foods, pet foods, alcohol and non-food items such as cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items and medicine.

DC SUN Bucks are accepted at retailers authorized to accept SNAP, including most grocery stores, some farmers’ markets, corner stores and big box stores. You can use the Retail Locator to find a store near you.

Yes, you can use DC SUN Bucks to purchase eligible food items online for delivery to your residence at Amazon Fresh, Giant, Safeway (varies by location), and Instacart. Benefits cannot be used to pay for fees or the delivery charge.

No, you do not need to spend the $120 all at once.

You can request a replacement card be mailed to the same address where you received your most recent one by calling FIS, the District’s EBT card vendor, at (888) 304-9167. FIS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you need your replacement card sent to a different address than where you received your last card, please contact the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711.

If your card is lost or stolen, to ensure your account's security, please change the PIN for your DC SUN Bucks card immediately. We recommend that you report any suspicious activity or fraudulent use of your benefits as soon as possible to the DHS Office of Program Review Monitoring and Investigation (OPRMI). You can call them at (202) 671-4460. They will conduct an investigation into the matter. More information is available at dhs.dc.gov/page/fraud.

Please note that unfortunately, DHS is not able to replace benefits lost to theft or fraud.

You can contact the DC SUN Bucks Call Center at (202) 888-4834, TTY/TDD: 711 for assistance.

You can check the balance of their benefits using the ebtEdge Mobile App available for Apple mobile devices or Android mobile devices, visiting the FIS ebtEdge website or contacting FIS at (888) 304-9167. Benefit balances are also printed on your store receipt. 

No, P-EBT has ended and P-EBT cards cannot be used for other programs. For more information about P-EBT you can visit dhs.dc.gov/p-ebt. DC SUN Bucks is a new program and eligible students will either have benefits loaded to their household's existing EBT card or receive a new EBT card in the mail pre-loaded with food benefits.

Yes, if your student is eligible for SUN Bucks through SNAP or TANF participation, their DC SUN Bucks benefits will be loaded on the SNAP or TANF EBT card. SUN Bucks will automatically be used before your SNAP benefits since they expire first.

Yes; however, we encourage you to use DC SUN Bucks first because DC SUN Bucks will expire approximately four months after you receive your benefits. The expiration date is found on your preapproval or approval notice.

Yes, we encourage you to use DC SUN Bucks first because DC SUN Bucks will expire approximately four months after your benefts are issued. Your DC SUN Bucks notice of preapproval/approval will include the expiration date.

No, your student does not need to be present when DC SUN Bucks are used.