BenefitsCal.com login issues preventing me from submitting my CalFresh recertification - any workarounds?

Yep happening to me too since tuesday. Super frustrating!!

Try logging in between 10pm-6am! The system is overloaded during normal hours with everyone trying to do their SAR7s and recertifications this week. I had the same problem last month but was able to get in around midnight when there's less traffic. Also make sure you're not using any special characters in your password - the system sometimes rejects those even though it allowed them when you first created your account.

OMG I had this EXACT same issue last week!!! The website is total garbage honestly. I ended up having to go into the actual office to submit my SAR7 even though everything's supposed to be online now. Wasted 4 hours of my day sitting there. They told me there's some big update they're doing to BenefitsCal and it's causing all kinds of problems. If your deadline is in 5 days you might want to just go in person if you can.

I work at a community assistance center and we've been hearing about this from multiple clients. There's definitely an ongoing issue with BenefitsCal login services, particularly affecting CalFresh recertifications. Here are some alternatives: 1. Try the BenefitsCal mobile app instead of the website 2. Call your county office and request a paper recertification form be mailed to you (though this may not arrive in time for your 5-day deadline) 3. Visit a county office in person and complete the recertification there 4. Fax your recertification documents if you have access to a fax machine Most importantly, document ALL your attempts to access the system (screenshots of errors, dates/times). If your benefits get discontinued because of these technical issues, you can request a fair hearing and show you made reasonable attempts to comply with the deadline.

If you're having trouble getting through to someone at the county office for your CalFresh recertification issue, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It saved me so much time and frustration when I was dealing with a similar login problem last month. They basically call the county for you and get you connected to a real person without the wait. I was skeptical at first but their service actually works - you can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out. Way better than waiting hours on hold or getting disconnected!

im havng the same probelm but i think its bcuz their changing stuff on benefitscal. my worker told me last month they r doing updates in may. maybe try calling the EBT customer service number instead of the regular county number? sometimes they can help with account stuff too or at least tell u whats going on

There's a documented issue with BenefitsCal.com that the state is working to resolve. For your immediate situation with the approaching recertification deadline, you should: 1. Document all your login attempts with screenshots showing the errors and dates 2. Call your county's dedicated CalFresh line (not the general line) and explain the situation 3. Request what's called an "Administrative Extension" due to system issues 4. Ask them to document in your case notes that you've been attempting to complete recertification but were prevented by technical issues Under CalFresh regulations, you cannot be denied benefits due to technical issues outside your control. If your benefits do get cut off, you can request them to be restored retroactively once you're able to complete the recertification process. The county should approve "good cause" in this situation.

Update for anyone following this thread: BenefitsCal just posted on their site that they're aware of the login issues and are working to fix them. They've extended all May recertification deadlines by 10 days automatically to give people more time. So @OP you should have some breathing room now!

I'm dealing with the exact same thing! Been locked out since Monday and my recertification is due this week too. The mobile app has been working better for me than the website - I was actually able to log in this morning around 7am and upload some documents, though it was still pretty slow. If that doesn't work, I found out you can also email your completed SAR7 form directly to your county office as a PDF attachment. My caseworker gave me their direct email when I called yesterday. Just make sure to put your case number in the subject line and ask for a confirmation receipt so you have proof they received it before your deadline!

I just wanted to jump in and share my experience from last month when I had similar BenefitsCal login issues. What finally worked for me was clearing not just my browser cache, but also all stored passwords and cookies specifically for benefitscal.com, then restarting my browser completely before trying again. Sometimes the site gets confused with old login tokens. Also, if you have a local library nearby, they often have computers you can try - sometimes it's an issue with your home internet connection or device. The librarians at mine were super helpful and even knew about the BenefitsCal problems because other people had been coming in with the same issue. Worth a shot if the mobile app and late-night attempts don't work out! Keeping my fingers crossed that the 10-day extension gives everyone enough time to get this sorted.

Me too