CalFresh inter-county transfer process - avoid starting application over?

yes u can do an intercounty transfer (ICT) now without reapplying!! i moved from alameda to fresno last yr and didnt have to start over. just call ur current county and tell them ur moving and need ICT, make sure u have ur new address ready. benefits should transfer automatically now but sometimes theres delays so do it like 2 weeks b4 u move

You'll need to request an Inter-County Transfer (ICT) from Sacramento County. According to current CalFresh regulations, your benefits should continue uninterrupted during the transfer. Here's the process: 1. Call Sacramento County at least 10 days before moving to report your change of address and request the ICT 2. Provide your new San Diego address 3. Sacramento should electronically transfer your case to San Diego 4. Your benefits should remain active on your existing EBT card 5. San Diego County may contact you to verify your new housing costs since they're higher Make sure to keep documentation of your request and follow up with San Diego County about a week after your move to confirm they received your case file. You don't need to submit a new application unless there's an error in the transfer process.

When I moved from LA to Orange County last year they STILL made me reapply even though they're not supposed to!!! They said my case was "incomplete" or something. I was so mad because I went 3 WEEKS without food money! The system is broken and they all tell you different things depending on who answers the phone. Maybe Sacramento is better than LA but DON'T TRUST THEM when they say it'll transfer smoothly!!!

I had the same problem calling my county office forever about my transfer from Contra Costa to Santa Clara. Just kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person in like 15 minutes. They called the county for me and connected me when a real person answered. They have a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Worth it because I was able to confirm my transfer went through and they even updated my rent amount in the system during that same call. No issues with my benefits continuing.

Make sure u also change ur address on BenefitsCal website!!! My friend did the ICT thing when she moved to Riverside but forgot to update her address online and her SAR7 got sent to her old place and she almost got cut off bc she never got it!!

One more thing to be aware of - since you're moving to a different county with higher housing costs, you may actually qualify for an increase in benefits after your transfer. San Diego has a higher standard utility allowance and rent thresholds than Sacramento. Make sure you provide documentation of your new rent and utilities to San Diego County once your case transfers. This could potentially offset some of your higher living expenses.

I've seen so many ICT problems working at the county!! The biggest mistake people make is waiting until after they move to start the process. START NOW!! Call Sacramento ASAP and tell them exactly when you're moving. Ask for the worker's name and get a confirmation number or case note number for the ICT request. Then call again 3 days before you move to confirm it's being processed. Then call San Diego 3 days after you move to make sure they received it. If you don't stay on top of it, your case can get lost in the system!! Trust me!

also dont forget to update ur mail forwarding with usps!!!! even tho everything supposd to be electronic now, my county still sent me a paper notice when i moved lol

Update: I called Sacramento County this morning and requested the ICT to San Diego. They gave me a confirmation number and said my benefits should continue without interruption. They also said I need to report to San Diego County within 10 days of my move to verify my new address and rent amount. Fingers crossed this goes smoothly! Thanks everyone for the advice - I'll update again after I move to let you know if there were any issues.

Wow, this thread is so helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation - planning to move from Fresno to Los Angeles in a few months and was dreading having to reapply. Reading about everyone's experiences gives me hope that the ICT process might actually work. @Elin Robinson - definitely keep us updated on how your transfer goes! And @Morita Montoya thanks for the insider tips about staying on top of the process. I'm going to save this whole thread as a reference guide for when it's time for my move. It's crazy how much this process varies between counties - seems like some are way better at handling transfers than others. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences instead of just the official policy stuff!

Just want to add my experience moving from San Joaquin to Kern County last fall - the ICT process worked perfectly! No gaps in benefits at all. The key thing that helped me was keeping my case worker's direct phone number from San Joaquin and texting them updates throughout the move. They were super responsive and even called Kern County directly to make sure my file transferred properly. Also pro tip: take screenshots of your current benefit amount and certification period before you move, just in case there are any discrepancies after transfer. San Diego County is usually pretty good with ICTs from what I've heard, so you should be fine. Good luck with your move and new job!