Transferring SNAP (Food Stamps) from Wyoming to Colorado
SNAP restarts at the state line. Wyoming closes your case when you report the move, and Colorado opens a new one only after you apply through Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). If money is tight after the move, ask about expedited service — federal rules can put benefits on your card within 7 days.
The income test is more generous where you are going: Colorado allows gross income up to 200% of the federal poverty level versus 130% of the federal poverty level in Wyoming. Some households that lost SNAP in Wyoming qualify again in Colorado.
Official Colorado SNAP agency: Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Tell Wyoming Department of Family Services you are moving out of state
Contact your local DFS field office to report your move and close your SNAP case before applying in your new state — no SNAP in two states in the same month.
Wyoming Department of Family Services ↗
Moving week
- 2
Keep your EBT card — the balance still works
Benefits already on your EBT card remain yours and the card works at SNAP retailers in any state. Spend-down is not required before moving.
After you arrive
- 3
Apply with Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) right away
File the day you arrive if you can — approval can take up to 30 days. If your old state already issued SNAP for the month you move, your new benefits begin the following month; if not, the first month is prorated from your application date, not your arrival date. Stated processing: up to 30 days.
Online application ↗ - 4
Ask about expedited SNAP
If you have very low cash and resources after the move, federal rules require expedited service — benefits within 7 days.
Wyoming vs Colorado: the numbers that decide it
| Wyoming (old state) | Colorado (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Wyoming SNAP | Colorado SNAP |
| Agency | Wyoming Department of Family Services | Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) |
| Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility | No (standard federal rules) | Yes |
| Gross income limit | 130% of the federal poverty level | 200% of the federal poverty level |
Monthly income limits by household size: Wyoming vs Colorado
| Household size | Wyoming | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,729 | $2,660 |
| 2 people | $2,345 | $3,607 |
| 3 people | $2,960 | $4,554 |
| 4 people | $3,575 | $5,500 |
| 5 people | $4,191 | $6,447 |
| 6 people | $4,806 | $7,394 |
SNAP gross limits for October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027, computed from each state's % of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines the way USDA computes its tables. Each state's own chart controls. Full tables: Wyoming · Colorado · 2026 poverty guidelines.
Moving with more than one benefit?
The checklist generator merges Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and TANF into one ordered to-do list for this exact move.
Build the full Wyoming → Colorado checklistCommon questions
Will my EBT card from Wyoming work in Colorado?
Yes. EBT is interoperable nationwide, so any balance already issued spends normally at SNAP retailers in Colorado. The card keeps working until the balance is used, even after your Wyoming case closes.
Can I get SNAP in both states during the moving month?
No — receiving SNAP from two states in the same month is a program violation. Close the Wyoming case for the month you leave, then apply in Colorado. If Wyoming already issued your benefits for the month you move, Colorado cannot pay that month too, so your Colorado benefits begin the following month; if not, Colorado prorates your first month from the day you apply.
How fast can Colorado approve my new SNAP case?
Federal rules give Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) up to 30 days, or 7 days for expedited service if your household has very low cash and resources after the move. Stated timing: up to 30 days.
Where do I actually apply in Colorado?
Through Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) (online application linked above). Official SNAP pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Colorado to Wyoming SNAP
- SNAP in Wyoming: leaving or arriving
- SNAP in Colorado: leaving or arriving
- Moving with SNAP: every state
- Wyoming to West Virginia SNAP
- Wyoming to Utah SNAP
- Wyoming to South Carolina SNAP
- Wyoming to Oklahoma SNAP
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Wyoming to Colorado
- WIC: Wyoming to Colorado
- Unemployment: Wyoming to Colorado
- TANF: Wyoming to Colorado
Terms on this page: Federal poverty level (FPL) · Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (BBCE) · Expedited SNAP · EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified .
- Wyoming DFS SNAP — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming DFS SNAP — How to Apply — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNS BBCE state chart — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA SNAP State Directory — Colorado — accessed 2026-08-08
- CDHS SNAP — accessed 2026-08-08