Am I Eligible for SNAP?
Your county human service department will determine whether you are eligible for SNAP, and if so, what your benefit amount will be.
The purpose of the program is to help low-income households purchase the foods they need. You may be eligible if your household income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The table below shows the monthly gross income limit depending on household size. For example, a household of 3 may be eligible for SNAP if their monthly income before taxes is $3,840 or less.
Benefit amount will depend on factors like income, expenses, household resources, and number of individuals in the household. The table below also shows the maximum monthly benefit amount depending on household size. For example, the maximum benefit amount a household of 3 could receive is $740.
Am I Eligible for SNAP?
Your county human service department will determine whether you are eligible for SNAP, and if so, what your benefit amount will be.
The purpose of the program is to help low-income households purchase the foods they need. You may be eligible if your household income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The table below shows the monthly gross income limit depending on household size. For example, a household of 3 may be eligible for SNAP if their monthly income before taxes is $3,840 or less.
Benefit amount will depend on factors like income, expenses, household resources, and number of individuals in the household. The table below also shows the maximum monthly benefit amount depending on household size. For example, the maximum benefit amount a household of 3 could receive is $740.
| Household Size | Monthly Gross Income Limit | Monthly Maximum SNAP Benefit Amount |
| 1 | $2,430 | $291 |
| 2 | $3,288 | $535 |
| 3 | $4,054 | $766 |
| 4 | $5,000 | $973 |
| 5 | $5,858 | $1,155 |
Eligibility for Special Populations
Certain populations may face additional requirements in order to access SNAP. Students, for example, must meet additional student criteria to qualify for SNAP.
Adults between 18-49, who don’t have dependents, who aren’t disabled, aren’t pregnant, and are working less than 30 hours per week may also face additional work requirements to access SNAP.
Immigrants to the US may qualify for SNAP if they are within income limits and if they fall into one of the following categories :
- A “humanitarian immigrant” (which includes refugees, asylees, and survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes;
- A lawful permanent resident and have lived in the US for 5 or more years or 40 qualifying work quarters;
- A US citizen, or;
- Parents of U.S citizen children applying for their children.
How Do I Apply?
While SNAP is a federal program, it is implemented at the state and local levels. The Colorado Department of Human Services oversees the statewide implementation of the program, while county human service departments are responsible for processing applications, determining eligibility and authorizing SNAP benefits. Your county will determine whether you are eligible, and what your benefit amount will be.
You can apply to SNAP a few different ways.
- Apply online using the Colorado Peak website, where you can apply to and manage SNAP and other benefits online.
- Submit a written application to your county human services office by mail, fax or in person.
- Call us at our Hunger Free Colorado Hotline (855-855-4626) or visit one of our on-site locations. While we are not a government organization, we are trained to provide information about SNAP and application assistance. We can help you apply over the phone or in person!
What happens after I apply?
After you have submitted your application, you may need to complete an interview with a county worker. You can choose to either interview over the phone or in-person.
If you need to complete an interview, your county office may reach out to you by phone or send a notice in the mail with the date and time of your scheduled interview. You will need to follow the instructions provided by your county office and attend the interview at the scheduled date and time. If you need to reschedule, contact your county to let them know.
It is possible that your county human services office may ask you to upload documents verifying the information you provided in your application. Hunger Free Colorado hotline staff can help upload those documents to the CO Peak website. For assistance, call our hotline at 855-855-4626. You can also upload the documents yourself at colorado.gov/PEAK or provide them to your county human services office location through mail or in-person.
How long until I find out if I’m eligible?
After you have completed the application process, you should receive a notice from your county human services office informing you of your eligibility and benefit amount. If you have less than $100 in cash and less than $150 in monthly earnings, or if your housing expenses exceed your monthly income, you may be eligible for expedited benefits within 7 days.
Contact Hunger Free Colorado’s SNAP Outreach Hotline!
We understand that navigating the SNAP application process may feel intimidating, but we want to help! Hunger Free Colorado is not part of the government and cannot determine your eligibility or benefit amount. We are a non-profit that helps persons navigate the SNAP application process. Our hotline staff can give you more information about SNAP and walk you through the application process.
Call us at our Hunger Free Colorado Hotline (855-855-4626) for questions about navigating the SNAP application process as well as other food resources in your area.
Our website also contains informational materials that may help answer some of your questions: