Conexxus, the technology standards organization dedicated to the convenience and fuel retailing industry, announced the release of three new guidance documents to support retailers, site operators and brands preparing for the nationwide migration of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to EMV chip technology.

The resources, available now on the Conexxus website, are:

• EBT Chip Migration: Brands, Retailer Headquarters, and Wholesalers
• EBT Chip Migration: Site Operations
• EBT Chip Migration: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

As part of the modernization of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SNAP EBT cards are moving from magstripe to chip-based cards. This change is designed to reduce fraud and enhance transaction security, and it carries significant implications for retailers who accept SNAP benefits.

“Conexxus’s new resources provide the industry-specific guidance and support that retailers need to meet the challenges of moving EBT cards to chip technology,” said Margaret Hardin Mannion, director of government relations for NACS. “As EBT technology evolves, it’s critical that SNAP retailers are able to accept EBT chip-enabled cards to ensure that millions of SNAP households have uninterrupted access to food. We appreciate that Conexxus is helping retailers through this critical process.”

The guidance outlines necessary technical and operational updates, including:

• POS and terminal requirements for chip and fallback acceptance
• Collaboration steps with processors and equipment vendors
• Site-level instructions for staff handling chip-enabled SNAP transactions
• Consumer education recommendations
• State-by-state transition considerations

With early adopters like California and Oklahoma already rolling out chip-enabled EBT cards, retailers across the U.S. must be prepared to accept these new cards—even before their own state mandates the change. This is especially important for businesses that serve customers from other states, as cross-border transactions may involve chip-enabled cards sooner than expected.

Interested parties in the retail fueling channel are encouraged to review the documents and coordinate with their vendor partners to avoid disruptions and ensure compliance.

The documents can be accessed here.