CalFresh website down? Can't access BenefitsCal to check my EBT balance

The website has been glitchy since they did that system update last week. I was able to get in yesterday but only after trying at like 5 AM when traffic was low. Try early morning or late night. They're definitely not taking away online access - the county workers are actually pushing everyone toward online services because they're so understaffed. Your recertification should still work through BenefitsCal, but maybe give yourself extra time in case of tech issues.

yea its annoying AF!!! i couldn't get on for like a week then it worked for 1 day then broke again. classic california bs lol. but no they def not getting rid of online stuff cuz thats how they save money not having to hire more ppl

There's actually a scheduled maintenance happening this week according to an email notification I received (I'm signed up for CalFresh alerts). The BenefitsCal portal is undergoing updates from January 15-20, 2025 with intermittent availability. They're adding new features for SAR7 submission and improving the mobile experience. For checking your EBT balance in the meantime: 1. You can call 1-877-328-9677 (the automated system works even when the website doesn't) 2. Check your last receipt from a store where you used the card 3. Most grocery stores have EBT balance check machines near customer service For your recertification, if it's due in February, you should still have time after the maintenance period ends. The system should be fully operational by January 21st according to the notification.

I went through this last month and almost lost my benefits because I couldn't submit my SAR7 online! The website kept crashing when I tried to upload my pay stubs and I ended up having to fax everything (who even has a fax machine anymore??). After 4 days of trying to reach someone, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually get through to a real person at my county office. Check out their video demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com - they basically wait on hold for you and call you back when they get a real person. Saved me so much stress and the worker was able to confirm they received my documents and I didn't lose my benefits.

The online system has always been terrible. This is why I still go in person for everything. Yes it takes longer but at least I know its done right and I get a receipt. They want everyone to use the website so they can fire more workers but then they dont fix it when it breaks. Classic.

Have you tried the CalFresh mobile app instead of the website? Sometimes one works when the other doesn't. Also, make sure you're using a supported browser. I found out they don't work well with Safari - Chrome seems to work better. For recertification, if the online system is still down when yours is due, you can request a paper form be mailed to you by calling your county office. Just be sure to call at least 2 weeks before your due date since mail can be slow. You can also pick up the forms in person at your county DPSS office without needing an appointment - they usually have them in the lobby. Don't stress too much though - if you can document that you tried to submit your recertification but couldn't due to system issues, they usually give you an extension.

this happened to me too and my benefits didn't come this month!!! tried calling for 2 days straight and couldn't get through. ended up going to the office and waiting 4 HOURS just to be told it was a "system issue" and they'd fix it. still waiting...running out of food for my kids. the system is broken

Update: I just checked the CalFresh outage reporting page (https://benefitscal.com/status - bookmark this for future reference), and they've confirmed the system issues and extended the deadlines for January recertifications and SAR7 submissions by 10 days. February deadlines remain unchanged for now but they'll update if the maintenance period needs to be extended.

I'm having the same issue! Been trying to log into BenefitsCal for the past few days and keep getting timeout errors. Really frustrating when you just need to do something simple like check your balance. I didn't know about the maintenance period either - wish they sent out notifications to everyone, not just people who signed up for alerts (which I apparently didn't do properly). Thanks everyone for the workarounds and resources! Going to try the mobile app and that phone number. It's reassuring to know this is temporary and not them shutting down online services completely.

Just wanted to add that I've been dealing with this same issue! Started having problems about a week ago when trying to check my remaining balance before grocery shopping. The website would load but then crash when I tried to log in. I found that clearing my browser cache and cookies helped sometimes - not a permanent fix but got me in once or twice. Also discovered you can text your EBT card number to 511-411 to get your balance sent back as a text message, which has been super helpful when the website is down. Really appreciate everyone sharing these workarounds and resources - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the county office phone system!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been having the exact same issues with BenefitsCal for the past week and was starting to panic thinking my account got suspended or something. I'm pretty new to CalFresh (just got approved last month) and wasn't sure if this was normal or a real problem. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the maintenance period and all the alternative ways to check balance like the text option and phone number. I had no idea there was a mobile app either! It's frustrating that they don't communicate these outages better to users, but I'm relieved to know it's temporary and that there are workarounds. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community seems way more responsive than any official support channels I've tried!