Do P-EBT benefits have an expiration date? Will my card stop working?

Yes, P-EBT benefits do expire but they typically stay active for at least 274 days (about 9 months) from the date they were issued to your card. If you haven't used the card at all during that period, you should check your balance right away by calling the number on the back. The good news is that if you've used the card even once during that time, the expiration clock resets. For cards issued during 2023, most benefits should still be available if you've used the card at least once.

I found one of those cards too! Mine still worked and it was from like forever ago. Just tried it last month at Food 4 Less and was shocked when it went through lol. Try it and see!

My understanding is that P-EBT benifets USED to expire after 1 year, but they changed it because of COVID. I think its now 274 days from when they were issued OR from when you last used the card. But also the rules are diffrent for each round of P-EBT they sent out. When did u get yours exactly? That matters for knowing when it expires.

To give you the official answer: P-EBT benefits remain available for 274 days from the date of your last transaction. If you haven't used the card at all, then it's 274 days from when the benefits were loaded. You can check your balance and last transaction date by calling the number on the back of your card (it should be 877-328-9677 for California P-EBT). Just follow the automated prompts. If your benefits are still active, use them soon! If they've expired, you can't get them back unfortunately. Unlike regular CalFresh EBT, P-EBT customer service is entirely through the state contractor, not your county office.

I had the EXACT same problem trying to reach P-EBT customer service!!! After trying for 3 days I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a rep in about 20 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you back when a human picks up. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely worth it for P-EBT questions since the wait times are insane right now with the new round of cards being sent out.

DONT THROW IT AWAY!!! Even if the benefits expired you might get new ones automatically added to the same card. My neighbor threw hers away and had to go through hell getting a replacement when they loaded new benefits this year. They reuse the same cards for new benefit rounds. Just saying.

Just to update you with the most recent information - for P-EBT cards issued during the 2022-2023 school year (which sounds like yours), benefits were loaded between July 2023 and January 2025. If it's been 274 days since your last transaction (or since they were issued if you never used it), they may have expired. However, once you check your balance and confirm they're still active, here's what I recommend: 1. Make a small purchase immediately to restart your 274-day clock 2. Take a photo of your card front and back (hide the card number but keep the ID number visible) in case it gets lost 3. Set a calendar reminder to use the card at least once every 6 months P-EBT funds can be used anywhere regular EBT is accepted, including most grocery stores, many farmers markets, and even Amazon Fresh and Walmart online in some areas.

That's such great news that your benefits are still active! $375 is a lot of money to lose. Just wanted to add that when you go shopping tomorrow, if you're buying a mix of EBT-eligible and non-eligible items, make sure to tell the cashier you want to use EBT first before they ring everything up. That way you can pay for the eligible groceries with your P-EBT card and then pay for any remaining items with cash or another card. Some stores can split the transaction but others make it complicated if you don't mention it upfront. Also, keep your receipt - it'll show your remaining balance so you'll know exactly how much you have left!

This thread has been so educational! As someone new to the P-EBT system, I had no idea about the 274-day rule or that there was an app to check balances. I've been dealing with regular CalFresh benefits for a while, but P-EBT seems to have its own set of rules that are way more confusing. Grace, your story is probably more common than people realize - I bet tons of families have forgotten cards sitting around with money still on them. The tip about making a small test purchase first is genius, and I'm definitely downloading that ebtEDGE app right now. It's frustrating that the customer service wait times are so bad, but at least there are workarounds like the app and that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and practical tips - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that actually helps people navigate these systems!