Quick Answer
In Georgia, you apply for TANF through Division of Family & Children Services, online or by phone. Georgia's official Standard of Promptness requires DFCS to approve or deny a TANF application within 45 calendar days of the date the signed application is received.
Georgia's TANF cash assistance program is run by the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) within the Department of Human Services, and applications go through the state's Georgia Gateway portal — the same system used for SNAP and Medicaid. Georgia also allows you to apply entirely by phone through its Customer Contact Center, or mail in a paper Form 297 if you'd rather not use a computer. An application only counts as officially filed once DFCS has the head of household's name, address, date, and signature, so leaving off a signature can delay your case.
What You'll Need
- Head of household's name, address, and signature
- Household income information
- Details on children under age 18 (or under 19 and in school full-time) or a pregnant household member
- Cooperation information for the Division of Child Support Services
- Completed Form 297 and Form 297A, if applying by mail
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Choose how to apply
Apply online at gateway.ga.gov by selecting "Apply for Benefits" (available Monday-Friday, 5 a.m. to midnight), by calling the Customer Contact Center at (877) 423-4746, or by mailing a paper Form 297 - Application for Benefits to your local DFCS office.
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Fill out Form 297 if applying by mail
Print and complete Form 297 (available in standard and large-print English, Spanish, and several other languages) along with Form 297A - Rights and Responsibilities, then mail both to your local DFCS office.
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Make sure your application is complete
DFCS only considers an application officially filed once it includes the head of household's name, address, the date, and a signature from the head of household or another household member.
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Cooperate with Child Support Services
Cooperating with the Division of Child Support Services is required to receive TANF benefits unless you can establish good cause not to.
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Complete your renewal when due
TANF recipients must periodically renew eligibility, either through Georgia Gateway or by submitting Form 508 - the Food Stamp/Medicaid/TANF Renewal Form.
Submit Your Application
Need help before your application is processed?
Georgia's official Standard of Promptness requires DFCS to approve or deny a TANF application within 45 calendar days of the date the signed application is received. If your family needs money sooner, most states offer a faster, one-time emergency payment.
See emergency & one-time assistance →Compare Other States
TANF rules, income limits, and benefit amounts are set state by state. These share Georgia's census region — useful if you're moving, or comparing how another state runs the same program.
Helpful Guides
TANF Eligibility & Frequently Asked Questions
Income limits, time limits, and work requirements, answered in plain language.
Learn more →How Much Does TANF Pay? Benefit Amounts Explained
How your payment is calculated, a real worked example, and how the amount scales by family size.
Learn more →TANF Income Limits by State
See each state's own income limit and maximum monthly benefit, side by side.
Learn more →How to Use Your TANF EBT Card
How to withdraw cash, avoid ATM fees, and what to do if your card is lost or stolen.
Learn more →TANF Work Requirements Explained
Hours, activities, exemptions, and how strictly states actually enforce this.
Learn more →What Is TANF?
What the program covers, who runs it, and how it varies by state.
Learn more →TANF Kinship Care & Relative Caregiver Benefits
Child-only TANF grants for grandparents and relatives raising a child — and how they differ from a regular case.
Learn more →TANF vs. SNAP: Is TANF the Same as Food Stamps?
How the two programs differ, and whether you can get both.
Learn more →