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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION APPLICATIONS FNS 420 NORMAL APPLICATION PROCESSING

1 Section 420 Change #01-2024 March 01, 2024 FNS 420 NORMAL APPLICATION PROCESSING Change #01-2024 March 01, 2024

420.01 NORMAL APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME FRAME Both Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) applications and reapplications must be processed (approved) by the 25th calendar day from the date of application so the household has access to a valid EBT card and FNS benefits that provide them the opportunity to purchase food no later than the 30th calendar day following the date of application. This includes initial applications and reapplications. Both are treated the same throughout FNS policy, unless otherwise noted. A. Applications: A FNS household that has never received FNS in North Carolina before is referred to as an application. B. Reapplication: A FNS household that has previously received FNS in North Carolina and is applying for assistance again is referred to as a reapplication.

420.02 NORMAL APPLICATION PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS To ensure households are provided with benefits in a timely manner, FNS applications and reapplications must be approved no later than the 25th calendar day from the date of the application for regular FNS applications. This processing time must be met to allow the household to have a valid EBT card and access to FNS benefits no later than the 30th calendar day from the date of application. A. It is recommended to process all applications within 5 days of receipt of all required verifications and expiration of the request of non-required information, but no later than the time frame listed in 420.02 A. B. The first calendar day is the day following the date of application as defined in FNS 410.03 Determining Date of Application. C. If the household is ineligible for benefits, the denial must be keyed by the 30th day. 1. When the 30th day falls on a non-workday, North Carolina Families Accessing Services through Technology (NC FAST) automatically extends the processing due date to the next workday for denials. 2. This information is available daily in NC FAST on the Reporting tab, using either the Incomplete Applications report on the County Case Profile or the Pending Application Details report on the Supervisor Dashboard.