I wanted to add some important information about the consequences of the county's delay. When your application is finally approved, you should receive benefits retroactive to your application date. Make sure to keep all grocery receipts during this waiting period as evidence of your food expenses. If they don't automatically backdate your benefits to your application date, cite the MPP Section 63-503.13 which mandates retroactive benefits for delayed applications. Also, don't be discouraged from applying for emergency CalFresh (expedited service) even at this point - you can still request it if you meet the criteria mentioned earlier. The county must conduct an expedited service screening for all applications regardless of how the application was submitted.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been waiting 7 weeks for my CalFresh interview in San Bernardino County. Reading all these responses is both helpful and frustrating because it confirms this isn't just bad luck, it's a systemic problem. I had no idea about the 30-day federal requirement or that I could request expedited processing. @Sofia Martinez I really hope you get this resolved soon. It's unconscionable that people are being forced to choose between rent and food while bureaucrats sit on applications. I'm going to try calling every day like @Yara Khoury suggested and specifically ask about expedited service. We shouldn't have to become experts in government regulations just to get basic food assistance, but here we are. Has anyone had success with contacting their county supervisor's office? I'm wondering if political pressure might help move things along faster.

Update us after you get through to them! I'm curious if they'll fix it right away or give you the runaround. In my experience they usually fix it when you have proof, but sometimes they make you jump through so many hoops first.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - it's absolutely infuriating when the system fails like this! I went through something similar a few months ago and here's what worked for me: when you call, ask to speak to a supervisor right away if the first person can't help. Also, screenshot EVERYTHING from your BenefitsCal account - the confirmation page, your submission history, any emails you received. Sometimes the county workers can see more details in their system if you give them the exact date and time you submitted. And don't let them tell you that you have to reapply - this is 100% their error and they should restore your benefits immediately. You might also want to file a complaint with the state while you're dealing with this so there's a paper trail. Hang in there!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Been locked out since Wednesday and getting so frustrated. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful though - I had no idea about the mobile app option or the early morning login strategy. I'm definitely going to try logging in around 5:30am tomorrow like several people suggested. It's such a relief to know about the automatic 10-day extension too, that takes so much pressure off! I've been taking screenshots of all the error messages but hadn't thought about documenting the timestamps - that's really smart advice. Also going to look for that dedicated CalFresh number on my Notice of Action letter instead of calling the main county line. Thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences and solutions here, it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this technical nightmare!

I'm having the exact same problem! Been trying to log into BenefitsCal since Thursday and keep getting either error messages or the site just freezes completely. My recertification is due next week and I was starting to panic until I saw this thread. Thank you everyone for sharing all these helpful solutions! I'm going to try the mobile app first thing tomorrow morning around 5:30am based on what several people have said about early hours working better. I also didn't know about being able to email documents directly to the county or request a telephonic signature - those are great backup options to know about. It's such a relief to hear about the automatic 10-day extension too! I've been screenshotting all my error messages but will make sure to add timestamps like people suggested. Really appreciate this community for sharing experiences and solutions - makes me feel so much less alone in dealing with this frustrating situation!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Tried to get cash from my EBT card at 6:30 AM this morning and got the "technical problems" message at three different Bank of America ATMs. I was getting really worried that something was wrong with my account until I found this thread. It's such a relief to know this is a widespread system issue and not just me. The tips about waiting until after 9 AM and using cash back at stores instead of ATMs are game-changers - I had no idea about the system maintenance windows. I'm definitely going to try CVS or Walmart for cash back next time instead of wasting gas driving around to broken ATMs. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and workarounds. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating around a broken system just to access our own benefits, but I'm so grateful for this community helping each other out. Going to save this thread for future reference!

I'm so sorry you had to deal with this stress this morning! I've been dealing with these exact same Bank of America EBT ATM issues for months now and it's incredibly frustrating. The "technical problems" message seems to pop up most often during their system maintenance hours, which unfortunately can extend well past 6 AM sometimes. A few things that have saved me from this headache: - Try using the ATM locator in the EBT Edge mobile app - it sometimes shows which ATMs are having issues (though not always in real time) - 7-Eleven stores usually do cash back for around $1.50 fee, which is way cheaper than most ATM fees - If you're desperate, some 24-hour gas stations like Shell have ATMs that work when the BoA ones don't (expect $2-3 fee though) I've also started keeping a small emergency cash fund at home specifically because of these system failures - it's not ideal having to tie up money that way, but it's saved me multiple times when I needed cash urgently and the ATMs were down. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to work around their broken system just to access our own benefits. Hoping California really does switch EBT providers in 2026 like some people mentioned - this current system is way too unreliable!

it just started working for me!!! i just tried the atm at the gas station near my house and was able to get cash out. maybe try again?

For anyone who sees this thread later: This was a statewide EBT cash benefit outage that lasted from approximately 6am to 4pm on May 3, 2025. It only affected cash withdrawals from EBT cards, not food benefit purchases. If you experience this issue in the future, here are some steps to take: 1. Check if it's a widespread issue by calling EBT customer service at 877-328-9677 2. If you need immediate assistance, contact your county office directly 3. Remember you can often get cash back with purchases at grocery stores that accept EBT cash benefits 4. If you face hardship due to system outages, document everything for possible emergency assistance The system should be fully operational now, but these outages do happen occasionally.