Ohio Locks EBT Cards for Out-of-State Use

State requires cardholders to unlock benefit cards before out-of-state or online transactions are approved, aiming to curb SNAP fraud.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Financial Crime

Isometric editorial illustration of a teal card-shaped block with a mustard padlock form and keyhole cutout on a cream plinth, representing a benefit-card lock system. — Ohio began requiring EBT cardholders to unlock their benefit cards before out-of-state or online purchases were approved, after nearly 56,000 suspicious transactions totaling over $6.3 million. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should states be required to lock food assistance cards against out-of-state use?

Ohio's new EBT card-locking system, launched in May 2026, requires cardholders to unlock their cards before out-of-state or online transactions are approved. Cards are not locked for transactions within Ohio.

Why it matters

From March 2025 through May 12, 2026, the state identified almost 56,000 suspicious out-of-state transactions totaling more than $6.3 million, prompting the locking measure intended to reduce theft of food assistance benefits for Ohioans.

Ohio identified almost 56,000 suspicious out-of-state transactions totaling more than $6.3 million between March 2025 and May 12, 2026, before the locking system launched. Only one suspicious transaction was identified under the new system through September, though the extraction does not explain whether that reflects lasting fraud reduction.

The players

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

The state agency that administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Ohio, which includes issuing and protecting EBT benefit cards for food assistance recipients.

The details

Under the system, an Ohio resident's EBT card is locked when used outside the state and must be unlocked through an app or a toll-free number before a transaction is approved. Ohio shares information and strategies with other states and the federal government, and other states are watching the results closely.

March 2025 through May 12, 2026: State identifies almost 56,000 suspicious out-of-state transactions.
May 2026: New card-locking system launches in Ohio.
Through September 2026: Only one suspicious transaction is identified under the new system.

Seasonal Patterns

The SNAP improper payment rate has tripled since fiscal year 2013, and incorrect food-stamp payments are estimated at $10 billion annually across the U.S. Ohio's card-locking system responds to that national trend, in which states administer SNAP while federal taxpayers cover more than 90 percent of program costs.

Ohio cardholders who use their EBT cards outside the state or online must unlock the card through an app or toll-free number before transactions are approved. Cards are not locked for purchases made within Ohio, so in-state use is unaffected.

The takeaway

Ohio's approach shows how a state can add a simple checkpoint to protect benefits without changing everyday in-state use. Other states will be watching whether the drop in suspicious transactions holds over time.