403 ERROR when trying to access MyBenefitsCalWIN - can't update CalFresh info!

The whole system has been glitchy lately. I got the same error last week and ended up having to go to the county office in person to submit my quarterly report. The worker there told me they're doing some kind of system upgrade that was supposed to be done by now. Try clearing your browser cache and cookies - that worked temporarily for me, but then it crashed again halfway through filling out my form. So frustrating!

its down for everybody not just u...my worker said maybe till friday. u can call ur worker and they can take ur info over phone if its urgent

I experienced the same issue and was able to resolve it by using the BenefitsCal website instead (www.benefitscal.com). Many counties are transitioning from CalWIN to BenefitsCal, and you can access and update your CalFresh information there now. You'll need to create a new account if you haven't used it before, but it should link to your existing case using your personal information. If that doesn't work, there are three other options: 1. Submit your SAR7 by mail (print the form from the cdss.ca.gov website) 2. Drop it off in person at your county office 3. Fax it if you have access to a fax machine Just make sure you keep proof of submission however you end up doing it!

I spend 2 HOURS on hold with the CalFresh office last week trying to fix this exact problem!!! The system is BROKEN and they don't care AT ALL about us. I ended up having to take a day off work to go to the office in person just to submit a simple update. How are people supposed to keep their benefits when they make it IMPOSSIBLE to do the required reporting???!!!

The technical issue you're experiencing is likely related to the statewide transition from legacy systems (like CalWIN) to the new unified BenefitsCal portal. This transition is happening throughout 2025, but not all counties are on the same schedule. Here's what you should know: 1. Yes, as someone mentioned, BenefitsCal (www.benefitscal.com) is now the preferred portal for accessing CalFresh, CalWORKs, and Medi-Cal benefits online. 2. Your SAR7 due date remains enforced regardless of technical issues. The county is required to provide reasonable accommodation for submission. 3. If you can't submit online, make sure you document all your attempts (screenshots of errors, dates/times of calls). This creates a record if your benefits are incorrectly discontinued due to these technical issues. 4. You can request a 10-day extension for your SAR7 due to technical issues, but you must make this request before the due date. If all else fails, sending your SAR7 via certified mail provides proof of timely submission.

I had this issue to. mybenefitscalwin is being phased out actualy. my worker told me they sent notices about switching to benefitscal but i never got one!! typical. anyway you need to make new account on benefitscal.com and all your case info should transfer. worked for me last month when i had to do my recertifcation

UPDATE: I was able to create an account on BenefitsCal like several of you suggested and successfully submitted my income changes! The system found my existing case and everything transferred over. For anyone else having the same problem, definitely try BenefitsCal instead of CalWIN. Just make sure you have your case number or SSN and other personal info ready when you create your new account. Thanks everyone for your help! One less thing to stress about this month.

This is exactly what happened to me two weeks ago! I was panicking because my recertification was due and I couldn't access anything on MyBenefitsCalWIN. Like others mentioned, BenefitsCal saved me - I was able to complete everything there without any issues. One tip: when you create your BenefitsCal account, it might take a few minutes for your case information to fully sync over from the old system. Don't panic if you don't see everything right away. I refreshed the page after about 10 minutes and all my case details appeared. Also, I'd recommend bookmarking BenefitsCal now since it sounds like MyBenefitsCalWIN is being phased out completely. Better to get familiar with the new system before you're in a time crunch again!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I was getting the same 403 error for the past three days and was starting to panic about missing my reporting deadline. Just tried BenefitsCal based on everyone's recommendations and it worked perfectly - I was able to submit my SAR7 without any issues. For anyone else dealing with this, definitely don't waste time trying to fix the CalWIN site. Just go straight to BenefitsCal.com and create a new account. It literally took me 5 minutes to set up and submit what I'd been struggling with for days. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver!

This exact same thing happened to me last month! I was getting so frustrated trying to access MyBenefitsCalWIN for my quarterly report. After reading through all these comments, I went straight to BenefitsCal and it was like night and day - everything worked smoothly and I could actually access all my case information. What really bothers me is that they're obviously phasing out the old system but not properly notifying people. I never got any letter or email about the transition either. How are we supposed to know about these changes if they don't tell us? It's stressful enough managing benefits without having to guess which website actually works. Anyway, definitely recommend BenefitsCal to anyone still struggling with the 403 errors. Save yourself the headache and just make the switch now!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I was having the exact same 403 error issue for the past few days and was getting really worried about my upcoming SAR7 deadline. After reading everyone's experiences, I immediately went to BenefitsCal and was able to create an account and access all my case information without any problems. It's really frustrating that there wasn't better communication about this system transition. I never received any notification about switching from MyBenefitsCalWIN to BenefitsCal either. It seems like a lot of us are finding out about this change the hard way when we're already stressed about deadlines. Thank you to everyone who shared the BenefitsCal solution - you saved me from potentially missing my reporting deadline and losing my benefits! This community is incredibly helpful when the official systems let us down.

I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! Been trying to log into MyBenefitsCalWIN for two days straight and keep getting that 403 error. My recertification is due next Tuesday and I was starting to panic thinking I'd lose my benefits. Reading through all these comments about BenefitsCal is such a relief - I had no idea that was even an option! Going to create an account there right now. It's so frustrating that they don't properly notify people about these system changes. Like, send an email or something? We shouldn't have to find out through community forums that there's a whole new website we need to use. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread is literally a lifesaver for those of us scrambling to meet our deadlines!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! I've been trying to access MyBenefitsCalWIN since Monday to submit my SAR7 and keep getting the 403 error. My deadline is this Friday and I was starting to seriously panic about my CalFresh benefits getting cut off. Reading through everyone's comments about BenefitsCal has been such a huge relief - I had absolutely no idea there was an alternative system available. I'm going to create my BenefitsCal account tonight and hopefully get everything submitted before the deadline. It's really incredible how many of us are dealing with this same issue and finding out about the solution through this community thread rather than any official notification. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and the BenefitsCal workaround - you're literally saving people's food assistance!