What is the TEFAP income limit in North Carolina?

200% of the federal poverty guidelines: $31,920 a year for a household of one and $66,000 for four (2026 guidelines). North Carolina's printed table is the official one.

Do clients sign for TEFAP food at every pickup in North Carolina?

Yes - a signature is recorded at each pickup.

TEFAP rules by State / North Carolina

TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in North Carolina

Rules verified 2026-10-07 from NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division and food bank publications (sources below) · agency links checked 2026-10-10 · income table recalculated automatically from the 2026 federal poverty guidelines · sources re-checked weekly

In North Carolina, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where North Carolina's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.

North Carolina's TEFAP agency and official documents

NCDA&CS Food Distribution Division — the State agency's food distribution page, which covers TEFAP (checked 2026-10-10).

Your food bank's agreement and current forms are the final word on the figures and forms to use.

Who qualifies: the income limit

Household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: NCDA memo 2/18/2026). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:

SNAP

Household size	Per year	Per month
1	$31,920	$2,660
2	$43,280	$3,607
3	$54,640	$4,553
4	$66,000	$5,500
5	$77,360	$6,447
6	$88,720	$7,393
7	$100,080	$8,340
8	$111,440	$9,287
Each additional person	+$11,360

Computed as 200% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines. Your State's printed table is the official one and may round differently or take effect on a different date.

The eligibility declaration

Form: TEFAP Eligibility Form (Oct-Sep, per-visit log) / TEFAP-3 (mobile). How often: at every visit. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.

What to record at each visit

date
client signature
SNAP yes/no
income
agency rep signature

Client signature at every pickup: Yes. Electronic signatures: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). Electronic intake: MANNA FoodBank: digital intake needs written approval.

Proxies

NCDA TEFAP Proxy Authorization (Oct 1-Sep 30) or same-day note. The proxy does not have to show ID.

What you must not collect

ID cannot be required to receive TEFAP food.

How long to keep records

5 years.

Civil rights

Complaints: forward immediately to NCDA-FDD immediately. Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: annual, documented.

Posted or handed out:

poster
FD-155 (faith-based)
'No ID Required' and 'You May Qualify' signs

Reporting

monthly to food bank.

households
persons

Storage temperatures

Refrigerated 35–39°F, frozen -10–0°F, dry 50–70°F. Temperature log: freezer and cooler 7 of 7 days.

Also

How often households must be able to come: monthly
Food bank rules: MANNA FoodBank prohibits CLIENT signatures since 3/16/2023 (rep signs only).

Where the sources disagree

Client signature: state form requires it; MANNA prohibits it.

Ask your food bank which one they monitor against.

Sources

TEFAP in nearby States

TEFAP in Georgia · TEFAP in South Carolina · TEFAP in Tennessee · TEFAP in Virginia · all States

This page describes published State and food bank documents and is not legal advice. Your State agency and your food bank agreement are the final word. See also the federal TEFAP record rule and the free TEFAP readiness checklist.

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