SNAP first-month proration, by application day.

The two federal options

7 CFR 273.10(a)(1)(ii) lets a state agency prorate in one of two ways. Option A uses a standard 30-day calendar or fiscal month, and an application on the 31st is treated as made on the 30th. Option B prorates over the exact length of the month. The formulas in 273.10(a)(1)(iii):

• 30-day month: full month's benefits × (31 − date of application) ÷ 30
• Exact month: full month's benefits × (days in month + 1 − date of application) ÷ days in month

States may use a FNS proration table instead of the formula.

Worked example

Full-month benefit $300, application on the 20th, 30-day method.

• (31 − 20) ÷ 30 = 11 ÷ 30
• $300 × 11 ÷ 30 = $110

With a $23 full-month benefit applied for on the 20th, the result is $8.43, rounded down to $8, which is under $10, so no first-month benefit is issued.

Rounding and the $10 rule

If the result ends in 1 to 99 cents the agency rounds down to the next lower whole dollar. If the result is under $10, nothing is issued for the initial month (273.10(a)(1)(iii)(C)).

What counts as the initial month

The initial month is the first month a household is certified after any period it was not certified. Migrant and seasonal farmworker households count it only after a gap of more than one month. A late recertification application is treated as an initial application, and its first month is prorated.

Limits

Your state may use its own proration table, and your actual first-month amount follows the state notice.

Sources

Primary sources opened and checked on November 2, 2026. This page has no affiliation with any agency; confirm with the agency before you rely on an amount or date.

• eCFR, 7 CFR 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels. Read November 2, 2026.