Minneapolis–St. Paul Metro Transit TAP 2026–27: $1 Rides for Lower-Income Riders, Accepted Documents and Renewal
Updated: 15 hours ago
Metro Transit's TAP card makes every bus or train ride $1 for a year. Most riders qualify with a benefit document they already have.
AT A GLANCE
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The fastest way into Metro Transit's Transit Assistance Program (TAP) is usually something you already have: an EBT card, a WIC folder, an MFIP approval notice, a free-lunch letter, or a Minnesota Health Care Programs card. Show one of those, along with an ID, and Metro Transit loads a year-long pass onto a Go-To Card that makes every bus or train ride $1, with a 2½-hour transfer.
That beats the regular fare whatever you ride: $2 for local bus and light rail, and up to $3.25 for rush-hour express.
This guide explains the two ways to qualify (a benefit document, or your income), the full list of documents Metro Transit accepts, where to sign up, how renewal works, and what to do if your application stalls or your card stops working. Everything here is from Metro Transit's TAP and fares pages and HUD's 2026 income limits, checked in October 2026.
What TAP Saves You
Ride (adults 13–64) | Regular fare | With TAP |
|---|---|---|
Local bus or METRO light rail/BRT, any time | $2.00 | $1.00 |
Express bus, non-rush hour | $2.50 | $1.00 |
Express bus, rush hour | $3.25 | $1.00 |
Rush hour is Monday to Friday, 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m. A rider commuting twice a day on local service for 22 workdays pays $88 at the regular fare and $44 with TAP. An express commuter saves far more: 44 rush-hour express trips cost $143 at the regular fare and $44 with TAP.
Not covered: TAP's $1 fare doesn't apply on Metro Mobility or Transit Link. On SW Prime, TAP riders get a discounted $2.50 fare, but only by buying a 10-ride pass from SouthWest Transit.
Two Ways to Qualify
TAP is meant for people with income at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). You can prove that in two ways.
Path 1: Show a document from a program you're already in (most people)
Metro Transit doesn't ask you to calculate your income if you can show an accepted eligibility document. The main groups are:
EBT and WIC: an EBT card (with or without a name), a SNAP EBT approval letter, a free or reduced-price lunch approval letter, a WIC card with a screenshot from the WIC app, a WIC folder, a WIC Participant Summary, or a WIC account balance or shopping list.
State assistance: approval letters for the Diversionary Work Plan or Energy Assistance, or documents for General Assistance (GA), the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), or Minnesota Unemployment Insurance.
Housing and homelessness: a Community Card (which counts as both ID and income proof), a Metro HRA Family Summary, a Plymouth HRA Verification Sheet and Family Information Survey, a St. Louis Park Housing Authority certificate, or St. Paul Public Housing or Section 8 certificates.
Health care: a Minnesota Health Care Programs card, or a member ID from plans such as Blue Plus, HealthPartners, Hennepin Health, IMCare, Medica, PrimeWest Health, SCHA or UCare (Metro Transit posts samples for each), or Targeted Case Management.
Other: an Early Learning award letter, Form I-94 refugee certification, or documentation for Ukrainian refugees who entered the U.S. on or after February 24, 2022.
Metro Transit says it's adding approved documents over time, so check the TAP page if yours isn't listed.
Show one of those, along with an ID, and Metro Transit loads a year-long pass onto a Go-To Card that makes every bus or train ride $1.
Path 2: Qualify on income alone
If your income is low but you don't have any of those documents, you can qualify on income at the City of Minneapolis Service Center:
Public Service Building, 505 4th Ave. S., Skyway level, Minneapolis, MN 55415, near Government Plaza Station.
Bring an ID and a pay stub or tax return.
Call 311 with questions before you go.
Metro Transit links to HUD's income limits for the threshold. Here are HUD's FY2026 50% ("Very Low") income limits for the Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington area, where the median family income is $131,500:
Household size | Annual income at 50% AMI |
|---|---|
1 | $46,050 |
2 | $52,600 |
3 | $59,200 |
4 | $65,750 |
5 | $71,050 |
6 | $76,300 |
7 | $81,550 |
8 | $86,800 |
HUD's metro area covers Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota, plus Pierce and St. Croix counties in Wisconsin. The Service Center makes the final decision on income applications, so confirm with them.
ID Documents Metro Transit Accepts
You need one identity document showing your name and address. Metro Transit accepts a wide range:
A driver's license, state ID, or learner's permit from any state.
A passport, military or veteran ID, tribal ID, or student ID.
A bill, account, or start-of-service statement for phone, TV, internet, trash, sewer, electricity, gas, water, banking or a credit card.
A rent or mortgage statement, or a residential lease or rental agreement.
An Employment Authorization Document.
A current student fee statement.
U.S. citizenship is not required for TAP.
Your Family
Family members listed on your approved document qualify too. For example, everyone named on your SNAP approval letter or WIC Participant Summary can get a TAP card.
Children 5 and under ride free, with no ID needed.
Ages 6–12 and 65+ can get a Reduced Fare card instead. It's valid for 10 years, or until a child's 13th birthday, and gives a $1 local fare. It doesn't discount express buses at rush hour ($3.25), so lower-income seniors and kids who ride express may be better off with TAP's $1 fare.
People with disabilities can apply for a Limited Mobility card, valid for 10 years, which also gives $1 rides. Riders certified for Metro Mobility ride free on Metro Transit buses and METRO lines.
Before you call
☐ One ID showing your name and address.
☐ One accepted eligibility document, or a pay stub or tax return for the income route.
☐ An email address you check, including spam or junk.
How to Apply
Online
Go to Metro Transit's TAP enrollment form at store.metrotransit.org/tap.
Upload your ID and your eligibility document.
Watch your email (including spam or junk). You'll get a confirmation that your application was submitted, a request for corrections if anything is missing (with a link to fix it), and an approval notice.
Metro Transit adds the TAP pass to a new Go-To Card or to the card you already have.
In person
Bring your ID and eligibility document to any of these:
Minneapolis Metro Transit Service Center, 719 Marquette Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
St. Paul Metro Transit Service Center, US Bank Center skyway, 101 E. 5th St., 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and noon to 3:30 p.m.
Burnsville Transit Station, 100 Highway 13, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SouthWest Transit Station, 13500 Technology Dr., Eden Prairie, 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Metro Transit also runs enrollment events with community organizations, and some agencies are TAP distribution partners that can hand out TAP cards directly to their clients. Ask your caseworker, food shelf or housing program.
Using Your Card
TAP is a discount, not free fare, so you need to add money to the card. Your year starts with your first ride. Ways to add value:
Online, or automatically from a credit card (sign up at metrotransit.org/autorefill).
By phone at 612-373-3333 with a credit card, or by mail (call for an order form).
At rail ticket machines, with cash or card.
At Transit Service Centers and authorized retailers.
Each time you tap, the reader shows your TAP discount end date.
Keep the card moving. Any Go-To Card that goes unused for 28 days has its funds placed on hold. Tap it on a reader and the funds come back 24 hours later.
Renewal
TAP ends 365 days after your first use.
If you still qualify, you can re-enroll up to two months before it expires, online, at a Service Center, or through a partner organization.
Bring or upload a current ID and a current eligibility document. An old approval letter may not work if the benefit has ended.
If Your Application Stalls, Is Turned Down, or the Card Stops Working
Metro Transit doesn't publish a formal appeal process for TAP. These are the practical fixes:
No email at all? You may have mistyped your email address, or the message landed in spam. Call 612-373-3333, or resubmit with the correct address.
Asked for corrections? Use the link in the email to revise your application. Common problems are a blurry photo, an ID without an address, or a document that doesn't show your name.
Document not accepted? Try a different one from the accepted list. For example, if your EBT card was refused, try a SNAP approval letter, a Minnesota Health Care Programs card, or a WIC Participant Summary.
No program documents at all? Take the income route at the City of Minneapolis Service Center, with ID and a pay stub or tax return.
Card stopped giving the $1 fare? Your year has probably ended. Check the date shown on the reader, or check online or by phone, and then renew. If it's been more than 28 days since you used the card, tap it and wait 24 hours for your funds to come back.
Lost or stolen card? Call Customer Relations at 612-373-3333.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Minneapolis
Looking for other Twin Cities help? See the related Minneapolis guides below.
Related guides
Official sources
This guide gives general information. Fares and accepted documents can change, so confirm with Metro Transit before you apply.
October 2026 (Metro Transit TAP and fares pages, HUD FY2026 income limits)
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