If you have a food stamp card, otherwise known as an EBT card, you may already know that you can use it to make grocery purchases at Walmart.
But you are probably wondering if you can manually enter the EBT number or simply swipe the card at Walmart self-checkout.
Can You Use EBT at Walmart Self-Checkout?
You can use an EBT card at Walmart self-checkout for all SNAP-allowed groceries. All you need to do is select EBT as your payment option on the screen and swipe the card as you would a standard debit or credit card; you cannot manually enter the card information at self-checkout.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You can use EBT at Walmart self-checkout.
- You need to physically swipe an EBT card; you cannot manually enter the card numbers.
- You can manually enter EBT card numbers on Walmart.com for purchases.
In this article, we will go through the directions for how to use EBT at Walmart self-checkout counters, as well as the options for where to make a purchase with an EBT card if you have misplaced the card and need to manually enter the information.
How to Use EBT at Walmart Self-Checkout
It’s important to understand that there is only one way to use EBT cards at Walmart self-checkout counters: by swiping the card as you would a debit or credit card.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Once you have scanned your items, select EBT from the payment method options provided on the screen.
- Scan your EBT card as you would a debit or credit card.
- Take your receipt.
That’s it! Unfortunately, there is no other way to use an EBT card at self-checkout. You are not allowed to manually enter the card information, even if you have it; you must swipe an EBT card to use it at self-checkout.
What Stores Allow Me to Manually Type in My EBT Card?
Now that you understand that you can’t manually type in your EBT card at Walmart self-checkout counters, let’s find out where you can.
Cashiers at Walmart will manually enter your EBT card information if it does not swipe or the machine reader isn’t working; however, they are not legally allowed to manually enter the information if you do not physically have the card in hand.
Here are a few other stores that will manually enter your EBT information if you have the card with you:
- ALDI
- Costco
- Kroger
- Publix
- Food Lion
- Target
- Safeway
- Sam’s Club
As it is illegal for cashiers to enter a card manually without the physical card in hand, if you have lost your card but have the card details, you can use the following online stores to make purchases:
- Amazon.com
- Walmart.com
- Target.com
- Safeway.com
What to Enter as the Expiration Date for a Manual EBT Entry
At the end of the day, an EBT card functions exactly like a debit card.
Your EBT card has a 16-digit card number, an expiration date in the form of MM/YY, and a CVV number on the back of the card that you need for a manual EBT entry.
While the expiration date can be found on the front of the card, many cashiers have noted that the expiration date doesn’t really matter.
So if for some reason, you lost your card and don’t know the expiration date, you can just enter a month and date in the near future to confirm the card.
Conclusion
You can use an EBT card at Walmart self-checkout by swiping the card as you would a debit or credit card for all SNAP-approved purchases.
You cannot manually enter EBT card details at a Walmart self-checkout. If you have the card with you and it’s not swiping properly, a Walmart cashier can manually enter the information for you.
If you have misplaced your EBT card but have the details, you can shop online at Walmart.com, as well as many other platforms, and enter the information manually yourself.