CalFresh benefits posted but no EBT replacement card after 5 days - anyone waited longer?

Unfortunately yes - the 5 days thing is more of a guideline than a guarantee. My replacement took 8 business days last January. What you CAN do though is go to your county office in person with your ID and request an over-the-counter card. They can issue one immediately that you can use right away. Just make sure to bring 2 forms of ID and your case number if you have it. The system should already show you requested a replacement.

I went through exactly this nightmare in May. The "5 day" promise is completely meaningless in my experience. My first replacement never came AT ALL after waiting 10 days. When I called back, they said they'd send another one, which took 7 more days! That's 17 days total with no access to my benefits! If you need to access your benefits NOW while waiting for the card, try calling Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they helped me actually get through to a real person at my county office instead of the automated system that kept disconnecting me. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The worker was able to expedite my replacement and I got it the next day after that call. Worth trying rather than waiting and hoping.

the 5 days is just what they say but the post office is slow af rn... my card took 9 days last month and my neighbor said hers took 2 weeks!!! you should just go to the office in person its way faster

When you say your cash benefits were stolen, do you mean someone took your physical EBT card and used your cash benefits, or that someone electronically stole them through skimming? The reason I ask is because California has different rules for replacing stolen CASH benefits versus just replacing a lost/stolen card. For CalFresh (food stamps), they'll reissue the benefits when you get your new card, but for cash benefits that were actually USED by someone, you need to file an EBT-106 form for benefit replacement and possibly a police report. Many people don't realize this distinction and end up waiting for cash benefits that won't automatically be replaced.

Mine took 12 days once and I have 4 kids to feed was LIVID!!!! The system is BROKEN and they don't care at all about us! I had to borrow money from everyone I know. Did you try the EBT app? Sometimes that updates with info about your replacement status.

I work for a community organization that helps with benefit issues, and we're seeing a lot more EBT card delays recently. The 5-day guideline is based on normal mail delivery timeframes, but USPS has been experiencing delays nationwide. Three things I recommend: 1. Call the EBT Customer Service number (not the county) and ask if your card has been mailed yet and get the mailing date. 2. If you have urgent need, go to your county office with ID as others suggested. 3. For your stolen cash benefits claim (EBT-106), make sure to follow up every 30 days. The 90 days is maximum time, but being persistent can help speed it up. Also, starting in 2025, California is implementing new EBT cards with chip technology to help prevent skimming theft. When you get your replacement, be sure to set up a PIN that's not easy to guess (not your birth year, etc.).

Update: I called EBT Customer Service this morning (waited 47 minutes to speak to someone!) and they said my card was mailed 5 days ago but they're seeing mail delays of 7-10 days in my area. They suggested I go to my county office if I need immediate access. Going to try that tomorrow morning. Will update if I'm successful!

This happened to me before and I ended up waiting TWO WEEKS for the replacement card! But that was during COVID so maybe that's why it took so long? Anyway on an unrelated note has anyone had trouble with their Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) recently? Mine is due next month and the website keeps crashing when I try to download the form.

Just wanted to follow-up on something important: when you get your replacement card, immediately update your PIN to something secure AND set up alerts on your EBT account. You can get text messages whenever your card is used. That way, if someone somehow gets your card information again, you'll know immediately. Also, many skimming thefts happen at ATMs, so if possible, only withdraw cash inside a bank location rather than at outdoor ATMs. Regarding your cash benefit claim on the EBT-106, the 90-day timeline is frustrating but keep following up. Document every call with date, time and who you spoke with. If they deny your claim, you have the right to appeal. In California, about 70% of appeal hearings for EBT theft end up being decided in the beneficiary's favor if you can show you weren't negligent with your card/PIN.