Called the P-EBT number a month ago, told to wait 4 weeks but still nothing - what's the REAL number to call?

The official P-EBT customer service number is 877-328-9677. They're open Monday-Friday, 6am-8pm. Just be aware that this number handles ALL of California, so wait times can be pretty long. When you call, make sure you have your children's student ID numbers and the exact spelling of their names as registered at school - this helps them look up your case faster. P-EBT distribution for 2025 has been really uneven across different school districts. Some got cards in February while others are still rolling out now in April. If your neighbor's kids attend the same school, definitely mention that when you call, as it indicates your cards should have been processed in the same batch.

i had the same thing happen with my kid!! waited 6 weeks after they told me 4 and nothing. finally i called AGAIN and they said my address was wrong in their system even tho the school had it right. make sure u double check your mailing address with them when u call

I work at a community resource center and we've been hearing about P-EBT delays constantly this year. Here's what's actually happening: the system is completely overwhelmed with the expanded eligibility for 2025. The cards are generated in batches by school district, but if there's ANY issue with a student's record (name mismatch, address issues, eligibility questions), their card gets kicked to a manual review queue that's severely backlogged. The 877-328-9677 number is correct, but honestly, getting through to someone who can actually help is incredibly difficult right now. Keep trying, but be prepared to call multiple times. Make sure to call early in the morning (right when they open at 6am) for the shortest wait times. Also, it's worth checking if your school district has a P-EBT liaison - some larger districts have designated staff who can help troubleshoot these issues locally.

This happened to me too! So frustrating. I spent WEEKS trying to get through on that number. Finally I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to an actual person in like 25 minutes instead of me having to redial for days. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 When I finally got through, turns out my kids' cards were already mailed but to our old apartment 🤦‍♀️ They had to reissue them, but at least I knew what was happening!

The P-EBT cards and CalFresh are NOT the same program even tho it's all EBT!!! P-EBT is through the schools and CalFresh is through the county. I made that mistake last year and wasted so much time calling the wrong places. If you already get regular CalFresh your P-EBT will come separate, they don't add it to your regular EBT card.

This whole P-EBT system is a JOKE. I called that number 12 TIMES last month and either got disconnected or was on hold so long I had to hang up for work. They do this ON PURPOSE to discourage people from getting benefits they're entitled to!!! My kid's school says they submitted everything correctly months ago but the state keeps giving different excuses. Meanwhile my rent just went up AGAIN and these benefits would actually help! I finally got through last week and was told my case is "under review" with no timeline. RIDICULOUS!!!

Have you checked your mail carefully? My kids' P-EBT cards came in really plain white envelopes that looked like junk mail, I almost threw them away! The return address just says "State of California" not P-EBT specifically. Also, did you check if your school actually has your kids enrolled in the free lunch program correctly? Sometimes that's where the breakdown happens.

I just wanted to follow up on this thread. After you speak with someone at P-EBT, ask for a confirmation number or case number for your call. Document everything - who you spoke with, what time, what they told you, etc. If you need to call back again, having this information makes a huge difference in getting help. Also, in some situations, reaching out to your State Assembly Member's office can help. They have constituent services teams that can sometimes cut through red tape when benefits are significantly delayed. This is especially helpful if you've made multiple attempts to resolve through the normal channels without success.

dont forget to ask them about any back benefits too!!! if ur kids qualified all year they should get the full amount even if the cards are late

I went through this exact same situation last year! After multiple failed attempts with the main number, I ended up contacting my county's social services office directly. They have P-EBT coordinators who can actually look up your case status and sometimes fix issues on the spot. For what it's worth, when I finally got my kids' cards, they were backdated to include all the benefits from when they should have originally been issued. So don't worry about losing money due to the delay - you'll get the full amount once it's resolved. Also, if you're comfortable sharing what school district you're in, that might help others here who are experiencing similar delays. Some districts seem to have more issues than others with the data transfer to the state system.