California - CA
Contents
Acceptable Subsidies
The standard eligibility programs that may be used as proof of subsidy include Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Food Stamps (CalFresh), Medicaid - Medi-Cal, National Free School Lunch Program, Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA), and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Veterans and Survivors Pension benefit.
State-Specific Eligibility Programs
- Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)
- TANF Programs:
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), Stanislaus County Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (StanWORKs), Welfare-to-Work (WTW), Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN)
State-Specific Tribal Eligibility Programs
- Tribal TANF
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
See General Rules for more information.
UNACCEPTABLE Subsidy Proof Examples
- Verification of Benefit forms
- Issuance Summary forms
- Human Services Agency Passport to Services forms
Acceptable Subsidy Proof Examples
Acceptable document:
- Golden State Advantage (EBT) card and a successful purchase receipt
Card must display:
- The applicant’s name, or the name of applicant’s benefit qualifying person (BQP)
Receipt must display:
- A date not more than seven (7) calendar days prior to the date the TPA receives the application and supporting documents
- The last four (4) digits of the EBT card displayed by the receipt must match the last four (4) digits of the EBT card
- A CalFresh account balance greater than $0.00
Notice of Approval for CalFresh Benefits
- Notice of Approval For CalFresh Benefits must appear on the document
- The applicant’s name, or the name of the applicant’s benefit qualifying person (BQP) must appear on the document
- A certification period “from” date that is not more than 7 calendar days prior to the date of the application must appear on the document
- A Total Amount of Benefits greater than $0.00
- The NOTICE OF ACTION form identifier must appear on the document
- The applicant’s name, or the name of applicant’s benefit qualifying person (BQP) must appear on the document
- Must specifically mention CalFresh on the document
- The Notice Date must be no more than 7 calendar days before the date of the application
Acceptable document:
- State of California Benefits Identification Card (BIC)
Acceptable BIC variations:
- Blue and White - issued prior to 09/12/2016
- California Poppies - issued after 09/12/2016
Must display:
- The applicant's name, or the name of applicant's benefit qualifying person (BQP)
- An issuance date outside the most recent calendar year is acceptable
Important considerations:
- Cards issued prior to 3/36/3003 can display the cardholder’s Social Security Number as the ID No.
- Cards issued after 3/26/2003, must display ID Nos which begin with “9”s, characters 2 through 8 must be numeric, and the 9th character must be alphabetic
- Cards issued after 8/31/2021, do not display a gender indicator (M/F) prior to the cardholder’s date of birth
Medicaid/Medi-Cal Approval Letters
- Must show valid eligibility dates.
- Must be dated within the past year.
TANF
- No amount need be given; just participating in the program qualifies them
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Must be dated within the past year.
Must display:
- The applicant's name, or the name of applicant’s benefit qualifying person (BQP)
- A Notice Date not more than three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days prior to the date the TPA receives the application and supporting documents
- The name of the qualifying program
- The name of the entity or agency which issued the document
- Cards that do not display a name must be accompanied by a grocery receipt that shows an active balance, be dated within 3 months of the LifeLine application, and the last 4 digits of the WIC card number shown on the receipt must match the WIC card number.
Acceptable WIC App screen shots
National Free School Lunch Program
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Must display:
- The applicant's name, or the name of applicant's benefit qualifying person (BQP)
- The phrase “TANF”
- A notice date not more than three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days prior to the date the TPA receives the application and
supporting documents
- A monthly Tribal TANF monetary benefit greater than $0.00
- The name of the federally recognized Tribe or Tribal agency which issued the document
Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Acceptable Income Proof Examples
SSDI (must be dated within the past year)
- NOT PROOF OF SSI
- Can be used to demonstrate low income eligibility.
Unemployment Benefits Printout
- Can be used to demonstrate low income eligibility.
Emergency Unemployment Benefits Extension Award Letter (Spanish)
- Can be used to demonstrate low income eligibility.
Disability Insurance Claim Letter
- Can be used to demonstrate low income eligibility.
Acceptable ID Examples
- Acceptable in California ONLY
- Acceptable in California ONLY
- Acceptable in California ONLY
- Acceptable in California ONLY
- FOREIGN passports acceptable in California ONLY