Good News: In many states, USAC can verify your eligibility automatically through government databases â you may need zero documents. But if manual verification is required, here's exactly what to prepare.
Documents Required for All Applicants
1. Government-Issued Photo ID
You need one of the following:
- Driver's license (current or expired within past year in some states)
- State-issued ID card
- U.S. Passport or passport card
- Military ID
- Tribal ID
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship or Naturalization
2. Proof of Current Address
Must show your name and current address, dated within 90 days:
- Utility bill (gas, electric, water, cable)
- Lease or rental agreement
- Mortgage statement
- Bank or credit card statement
- Current vehicle registration
- Official government correspondence
Program-Based Eligibility Documents (Choose One)
| Program | What You Need | How to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| SNAP / EBT | Official benefit award letter (NOT your EBT card) | State SNAP office, benefits portal, or in-person request |
| Medicaid | Medicaid card + benefit award/approval letter | State Medicaid office or healthcare.gov account |
| SSI | SSA benefit verification letter | Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or SSA.gov |
| Federal Housing | Housing award letter or lease showing federal subsidy | Your local housing authority or HUD office |
| Veterans Benefits | VA award letter (must show pension/survivor benefits) | VA regional office or eBenefits.va.gov |
| Pell Grant | Current year financial aid award letter from school | School financial aid office or studentaid.gov |
Income-Based Documents (If Not Using a Program)
If you're qualifying on income alone (household income â¤135% FPL), you'll need to document all sources of income for all household members:
- Federal tax return (most recent Form 1040)
- Pay stubs from the last 3 months
- Social Security benefit statement
- Retirement or pension statement
- Unemployment determination letter
- Child support or alimony documentation
- Divorce decree (if listing income sources)
The Most Common Rejection Reasons
- â Submitting an EBT card photo instead of an award letter
- â Award letter is more than 12 months old
- â Address on documents doesn't match application address
- â Expired photo ID
- â Documents for a different household member without explanation
- â Utility bill in a landlord's name, not applicant's
- â Screen capture instead of official document (low quality/unreadable)
Tips for Faster Approval
- Scan documents at 300 DPI or higher â blurry photos cause rejections
- Make sure all four corners of the document are visible in your photo
- Submit PDFs rather than JPEGs when possible
- If possible, apply through a provider that does in-house USAC verification â they often have faster document review teams