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Processing EBT SNAP & EBT Cash Refunds

Learn how to correctly process refunds for purchases made with an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card on the POS. Because federal regulations differ for food benefits and cash benefits, Vori handles refunds for EBT SNAP and EBT Cash differently.

Overview

When processing refunds for Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions, Vori POS enforces specific workflows to ensure your store remains compliant with federal regulations.

Key Compliance Rules at a Glance

Transaction Type

Allowable Refund Method

Compliance Rule

EBT SNAP

Original EBT Card Only

Federal law prohibits returning cash for SNAP purchases (Trafficking).

EBT Cash

Cash, Gift, or Credit

EBT Cash funds cannot be returned to the EBT card.

 

EBT SNAP Refunds

When refunding an item originally purchased with EBT SNAP, there is only one compliant option.

  • The refund will be automatically processed back to the original EBT card.

⚠️ Compliance Warning: Federal regulations strictly prohibit giving cash, store credit, or debit/credit refunds for items purchased with SNAP benefits.   

Understanding Refunds for Split EBT SNAP Payments

Vori handles refunds at the order level, not the individual item level. This ensures compliance with federal anti-fraud regulations.

How it Works:

  • The system looks at the total amount paid by each method (EBT SNAP vs. Cash/Credit) for the entire order. It does not track whether a specific item was paid for with EBT or another payment type.
  • The system follows one main rule: It will always attempt to refund the EBT SNAP card first, up to the total amount originally charged to that card.

Example Scenario:

  1. A shopper buys $20 of EBT-eligible groceries and $5 of non-EBT charcoal.

  2. They pay using a split payment: $20 from EBT SNAP and $5 with Cash.

  3. Later, they return the $5 charcoal.

  4. Result: The system refunds the $5 back to the EBT SNAP card, not as cash.

Why did this happen? Because the refund amount ($5) is less than the total originally paid with EBT SNAP ($20), the system "refills" the EBT card first. This is a security feature designed to prevent cash laundering (receiving cash back for EBT funds).

✏️ Note: This is normal, compliant behavior. The POS manages this automatically, and cashiers cannot manually override which payment method receives the refund.

  

EBT Cash Refunds

Cash Benefits

Because EBT Cash acts as a cash-equivalent benefit, it follows different rules. When refunding an EBT Cash transaction, you can choose one of the following options:

  • Refund to a credit or debit card.

  • Refund in cash.

  • Refund to a store gift card.

✏️ Note: EBT Cash cannot be refunded to the original EBT card. Only EBT SNAP supports direct-to-card refunds.

Troubleshooting

If you are unable to locate the original order or encounter processing errors, please contact Vori support with the following details:

  • The date and time of the original transaction.

  • The order ID or the last four digits of the EBT card used.

  • A brief description of the error message or issue.