All United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)-authorized Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [ ] retailers may participate in EBT. Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc. (Xerox) is the company providing free EBT-only equipment on behalf of the State of California. Sales representatives from other companies providing point-of-sale (POS) equipment and transaction processing services may contact you. You are free to evaluate all commercial options and select the vendor of your choice.

If an authorized retailer already has POS equipment, EBT transactions can be processed through the retailer’s existing equipment once the hardware is set up and/or programmed to accommodate EBT transactions. This can be done without any additional authorization or approval from either the state or federal government.

If a retailer does not currently have POS equipment, options include:
·   Commercial POS equipment – Equipment that can process debit cards and credit cards in addition to EBT cards. Retailers make arrangements with commercial providers for this type of equipment. Retailers are responsible for all costs associated with operating commercial POS equipment.
·   EBT-only POS equipment – Equipment provided by Xerox on behalf of the State of California that processes food and/or cash aid assistance via EBT transactions ONLY. Retailers authorized to participate in SNAP may select this option at no cost for POS equipment and training.

If you’re interested in applying for authorization to accept SNAP benefits at your store, call (877) 823-4369 or click here.