Guides / TEFAP rules by State

TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries, State by State

Rules verified 2026-10-07 · agency links checked 2026-10-10 · income limits recalculated automatically when new federal poverty guidelines are published · sources re-checked weekly

TEFAP is a federal program, but each State decides how its pantries run it: the income limit, the declaration form and how often it is renewed, whether clients sign at each pickup, proxy forms, how long records are kept, how fast a civil-rights complaint must be forwarded, and what the monthly report asks for. Pick your State.

StateIncome limitRun by
Alabama185%Alabama State Dept of Education, Child Nutrition Programs, Food Distribution
Alaska300%Dept of Education & Early Development, Child Nutrition Programs
Arizona185%AZ Dept of Economic Security, Hunger Relief Program
Arkansas200%Arkansas Dept of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Division, Food Distribution Unit
California235%CA Dept of Social Services, CalFresh Community Partnerships Bureau
Colorado200%CDHS Food Distribution Programs
Connecticut300%CT Dept of Social Services
Delaware185%Office of Management & Budget, Government Support Services, Federal Food Commodities Program
District of Columbia185%DC Health (Capital Area Food Bank distributes)
Florida300%FL Dept of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Georgia200%GA Dept of Human Services, DFCS Food Commodity Programs
Hawaii300%Dept of Labor & Industrial Relations, Office of Community Services
Idaho200%Idaho Dept of Health & Welfare
Illinois300%IL Dept of Human Services (through 7 food banks)
Indiana185%Indiana Dept of Health, WIC/TEFAP Division
Iowa185%Iowa Dept of Health & Human Services
Kansas185%Dept for Children & Families
Kentucky185%KY Dept of Agriculture, Division of Food Distribution
Louisiana185%LA Dept of Agriculture & Forestry, Food Distribution Division
Maine300%Dept of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry with Good Shepherd Food Bank
Maryland185%Dept of Human Services
Massachusetts250%Dept of Elementary & Secondary Education, Office for Food and Nutrition Programs
Michigan300%Michigan Dept of Education
Minnesota300%Dept of Children, Youth & Families, Office of Economic Opportunity
Mississippi185%MDHS Division of Economic Assistance Eligibility
Missouri185%DSS Family Support Division, Food Distribution Programs
Montana300%DPHHS Human & Community Services Division, Food Distribution Section
Nebraska180%NE DHHS Division of Children & Family Services, Food Distribution Program
Nevada185%NV Dept of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Division
New Hampshire240%NH Dept of Administrative Services, Surplus Distribution Section
New Jersey185%NJ Dept of Agriculture, Division of Food & Nutrition
New Mexico185%NM Health Care Authority, Income Support Division, Food & Nutrition Services Bureau
New York225%Office of General Services (OGS), Food Distribution
North Carolina200%NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division
North Dakota200%ND Dept of Public Instruction, Child Nutrition & Food Distribution
Ohio200%Ohio Dept of Job & Family Services (ODJFS), Office of Family Assistance
Oklahoma200%Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) Food Distribution Unit
Oregon300%Oregon Dept of Human Services via Oregon Food Bank
Pennsylvania185%PA Dept of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Assistance
Rhode Island300%RI Dept of Human Services with RI Community Food Bank
South Carolina200%SC Dept of Agriculture
South Dakota185%SD Dept of Education, Child and Adult Nutrition Services
Tennessee185%TN Dept of Agriculture, Commodity Distribution
Texas185%TX Dept of Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Division
Utah185%Utah State Board of Education, Child Nutrition Programs
Vermont300%VT Agency of Education with the Vermont Foodbank
Virginia250%VDACS Food Distribution Program
Washington400%WSDA Food Assistance
West Virginia185%WV Dept of Agriculture, Food Distribution Program
Wisconsin200%WI Dept of Health Services, Division of Public Health
Wyoming185%WY Dept of Family Services with the Food Bank of Wyoming

Researched from State agency and food bank publications. Not legal advice: your State agency and food bank agreement are the final word.

Keep these records without the paperwork — free for 30 days. PantryPOS records each TEFAP visit (who picked up, household size, eligibility basis, signature where your State wants one), keeps every eligibility declaration, reconciles TEFAP stock by lot, logs civil-rights complaints and training, and shows your State's rules on screen. Every feature, no card — $39/month per site after the trial.
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