Becoming an Authorized Retailer

Woodcut illustration of filling out a form to become a SNAP retailer

Am I Eligible?

1) Who Qualifies to Accept SNAP Benefits?

As a general matter, both farmers markets and vendors who qualify as direct marketing farmers are eligible to apply to Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for authorization to accept SNAP benefits.

For more information from FNS, click here.

2) What Are the Requirements to Accept SNAP Benefits?

In order to become authorized to accept SNAP benefits, farmers markets, direct marketing farmers, and other retailers must meet at least one of the two food stocking rules outlined below, which we call the 50% Rule and the Staple Food Groups Rule:

Rule 1: 50% Rule	Rule 2: Staple Food Groups Rule
More than 50% of the total dollar amount of your total gross retail sales (including food and non-food merchandise) must come from the sale of eligible staple foods (meat, poultry, fish, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products). For farmers markets, that 50% is taken from the total gross retail sales for all your vendors. For direct marketing farmers, it’s 50% of the total dollar amount of your own total gross retail sales.	You must have on a continuous basis a minimum of 36 staple food items that meet the following conditions: Three varieties in each of the four staple food categories: Meat, poultry, or fish Bread or cereal Vegetables or fruits Dairy products Three stocking units for each of the three varieties One perishable variety in two of the staple food categories
Note: “Staple foods” are food items intended for home preparation and consumption -- not prepared, hot, or heated foods. Likewise, “staple foods” does not include accessory food items, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, carbonated and uncarbonated drinks, candy, condiments, and spices.	Note: “Continuous basis” means that, on any given day of operation, the food is offered for sale and normally on display in a public area. “Stocking unit” means the package a product is usually sold in, such as a bunch, box, or bag. “Perishable variety” means food that would spoil or significantly deteriorate within three weeks if stored at room temperature and includes fresh produce.

Rule 1: 50% Rule

Rule 2: Staple Food Groups Rule

More than 50% of the total dollar amount of your total gross retail sales (including food and non-food merchandise) must come from the sale of eligible staple foods (meat, poultry, fish, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products).

For farmers markets, that 50% is taken from the total gross retail sales for all your vendors. For direct marketing farmers, it’s 50% of the total dollar amount of your own total gross retail sales.

You must have on a continuous basis a minimum of 36 staple food items that meet the following conditions:

Three varieties in each of the four staple food categories:

Meat, poultry, or fish
Bread or cereal
Vegetables or fruits
Dairy products

Three stocking units for each of the three varieties
One perishable variety in two of the staple food categories

Note: “Staple foods” are food items intended for home preparation and consumption -- not prepared, hot, or heated foods. Likewise, “staple foods” does not include accessory food items, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, carbonated and uncarbonated drinks, candy, condiments, and spices.

Note: “Continuous basis” means that, on any given day of operation, the food is offered for sale and normally on display in a public area. “Stocking unit” means the package a product is usually sold in, such as a bunch, box, or bag. “Perishable variety” means food that would spoil or significantly deteriorate within three weeks if stored at room temperature and includes fresh produce.

For more information on eligibility, click here.

How do I apply? »