EBT card replacement taking forever - CalFresh says wait but should I reorder?

omg dont wait any longer!! i went thru this exact thing last summer. they ALWAYS say its coming in a few days but then nothing shows up. just reorder and make them put a rush on it

When you call to report a lost/stolen EBT card, they're supposed to deactivate the old card immediately and mail a new one within 3-5 business days. If it's been 3+ weeks, something definitely went wrong. The mailing address they have on file might be incorrect, or the card could have been lost in transit. You should call the EBT customer service line again (not your county worker) and explain it's been over 3 weeks. They can verify the address they sent it to and issue a new one. Yes, they can rush it, but even standard delivery should only take a week maximum in 2025. Also, make sure you update your address in BenefitsCal if you've moved recently, as this can cause cards to be sent to old addresses.

Definitely reorder. The standard time for replacement EBT cards is 3-5 business days now, not 3+ weeks! I had this same issue in January when my card got stolen. I called on a Monday, they said it was coming. Called again Friday - still "coming soon." Finally on the THIRD call they admitted there was a problem with the address verification system and my card was never actually mailed. I was so frustrated trying to reach an actual human at CalFresh. Kept getting disconnected or stuck in the automated system. Finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 and their site is claimyr.com Honestly worth it because they got a rush replacement sent to me that arrived in 2 days. Don't let your family go hungry waiting for a card that might never show up!

Definitely reorder, but also make sure they actually CANCELED your original lost card! I had an issue where my "lost" card showed up after I'd already reported it missing, but I couldn't use it because it was deactivated. Make sure they're not sending a new one to an old address too - happened to a friend of mine who changed apartments but forgot to update her mailing info with CalFresh.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE US GIVE UP!!!! They "lose" cards, applications, SAR7s, everything! I've been on CalFresh for 3 years and had to replace my card twice. Both times they said it was coming "soon" and both times I ended up waiting over a MONTH with no food benefits before I raised hell with my county worker. Call them DAILY until you get that card. And document EVERYTHING - who you talk to, date, time, what they promised. The system is broken on purpose to discourage people from getting the help they need. Sorry you're dealing with this BS.

Just to clarify some misconceptions I'm seeing in the comments: 1. There's no limit to how many replacement EBT cards you can request per year. However, if you request 4+ replacements in a 12-month period, the system might flag your account for review (not necessarily fraud investigation). 2. There's no charge for replacement cards. 3. As of 2025, some counties DO still offer emergency same-day card pickup at certain offices, but it varies by county. LA and San Diego definitely still do this. 4. Yes, the EBT card system and BenefitsCal can sometimes have different addresses on file. Always verify both. Based on your situation, you should definitely call tomorrow and request a new card with expedited shipping. Explain it's been over 3 weeks and you have no access to your benefits.

Alameda County does offer emergency card replacement at their Eden Area Multi-Service Center in Hayward and their North County Self-Sufficiency Center in Oakland. You'll need to bring your photo ID and they can typically issue a card while you wait. Call first to confirm their current hours for this service as they've changed a few times in recent months.

UPDATE: I called this morning and after getting transferred THREE times, I finally got someone who could help. Turns out they sent my card to my old address even though I updated it months ago! The rep said there was some glitch where address updates in the main system weren't syncing with the EBT card system. They're mailing a new card rush delivery to my correct address, and I should have it by Friday. They also gave me the option to go to the Oakland office for same-day pickup, but since I work during their open hours, I'm just going to wait for the mail delivery. Thank you everyone for your help and advice! This whole system is so frustrating.

So glad you got this figured out! That address syncing issue is such a widespread problem - I've seen it happen to so many people. It's crazy that they don't have a better system to prevent this from happening in the first place. Hopefully your rush delivery actually comes through on Friday and you can finally access your benefits again. Thanks for posting the update too - this will definitely help other people who run into the same situation!

Wow, this address syncing issue seems to be a major problem that affects way more people than it should! I'm dealing with something similar right now - my SNAP benefits got delayed because of an address mix-up between different county systems. It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating all these different databases just to get basic assistance. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here - it helps to know what questions to ask when I call. Sadie, hope your card arrives on Friday as promised!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm new to CalFresh and had no idea about the address syncing issues between different systems. It's honestly shocking that this is such a common problem but they don't warn people about it upfront. Sadie, I'm really glad you were persistent and got it sorted out - that must have been so stressful going weeks without access to your benefits. The fact that you had to get transferred three times just to find someone who could actually help shows how broken the communication is within the system. Thanks for sharing your experience and the update - this is going to help so many people who face the same situation!

This is such a perfect example of why the system needs major reform! I'm relatively new to this community but already seeing how these "glitches" disproportionately affect people who can least afford to go weeks without food benefits. The fact that Sadie had to become a detective just to figure out why her replacement card never arrived is absurd. It shouldn't take three transfers and multiple phone calls to discover that the address systems don't sync properly - that's a basic functionality issue that affects people's ability to eat! Really grateful for everyone sharing their experiences and workarounds here. This kind of peer support is invaluable when navigating such a broken system. Fingers crossed your rush delivery actually comes through Friday, Sadie!