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.

I'm having the exact same login problems! Started having issues on Sunday and my recertification deadline is coming up fast too. I tried the mobile app like some people suggested and it worked better than the website - was able to log in around 6am yesterday morning. The system definitely seems less overloaded during really early hours. Also want to mention that if you're still stuck, you can request what's called a "telephonic signature" where they complete your recertification over the phone and you don't need to access BenefitsCal at all. My sister had to do this last year when she was in the hospital during her recertification period. You just call your county office and explain the technical difficulties - they should be able to accommodate you since it's not your fault the system isn't working properly. Hang in there, we'll get through this!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I had the EXACT same problem two weeks ago and it was incredibly stressful. What finally worked for me was a combination of things: I used the mobile app instead of the website, logged in super early (around 5:30am), and made sure to completely close and restart the app between attempts. The early morning thing really seems to make a difference - I think everyone's trying to access it during normal hours. Also, take screenshots of every error message you get with timestamps! When I called my county office, having that documentation helped them note in my file that I was actively trying to comply but couldn't due to technical issues. They were actually really understanding about it. The 10-day extension that was just announced should give you some breathing room, but definitely keep trying the app early in the morning. You've got this!

I'm experiencing the exact same login issues! Started having problems on Sunday and my recertification is due next week. After reading through all these helpful suggestions, I wanted to share what's working for me so far: I downloaded the BenefitsCal mobile app and was able to log in successfully around 6:15am this morning, though it was pretty slow. The early morning approach that everyone's mentioned really does seem to help avoid the system overload. I also called my county's dedicated CalFresh line (found the number on my last Notice of Action letter like someone suggested) and they were able to note in my case that I'm experiencing technical difficulties. The worker I spoke with confirmed that they're seeing this issue with many clients and said to keep trying the app during off-peak hours. She also mentioned that if I continue having problems, I can request to complete my recertification over the phone. It's such a relief to know about the 10-day extension too! Keep documenting everything with screenshots - it really helps when you call the county office. Hang in there everyone, we'll get through this together!

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!