Informed Delivery shows P-EBT card coming today but nothing arrived - when to expect it?

This happens all the time with P-EBT deliveries! The USPS Informed Delivery system takes pictures of mail at the sorting facility, but sometimes the actual delivery takes an extra day or two to reach your mailbox. The P-EBT cards are sent in plain white envelopes from "California P-EBT" and can easily mix in with regular mail. I'd suggest waiting at least 2-3 business days before assuming it's lost. Many times what shows up in Informed Delivery on Monday might not arrive until Wednesday.

mine got lost in mail TWICE before i got it!!!! usps is TERRIBLE with these cards and half the time the carriers dont even know what they are. inform delivery is just photos they take at sorting center not actual delivery promise. wait a week then call

My son's P-EBT card showed up in informed delivery but came 3 days later, so don't panic yet! If it doesn't come in the next few days, you'll need to call the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677 to report it missing and request a replacement. Just be aware that the P-EBT helpline has SUPER long wait times right now because they're sending out so many new cards for the 2024-2025 school year benefits.

I work with CalFresh outreach and can share some info that might help you. The P-EBT cards are sent via regular USPS mail, but they're processed differently than regular CalFresh EBT cards. You're seeing this in Informed Delivery because the envelope has been scanned at the sorting facility, but it might take 1-3 more business days to reach your mailbox. If it doesn't arrive by the end of the week, you should call the P-EBT hotline (877-328-9677) to report it missing. They can place a hold on the card and issue a replacement. Just be aware that replacement cards can take 7-10 business days to arrive. Once you receive it, you'll need to activate it by calling the number on the back of the card and setting a PIN. Make sure to use your child's date of birth when prompted for verification during activation.

I had this exact same problem last month!!! I was checking my mail like crazy after seeing it in informed delivery. It showed up TWO days later even though other mail from the same informed delivery email arrived on time. I think they just handle these cards differently or something? Just wait a couple days, it's probably coming.

If you end up needing to call the P-EBT hotline to report it missing, I strongly recommend using Claimyr.com to avoid the ridiculous wait times. I had to call about my son's missing card last month, and the regular line had a 3+ hour wait. With Claimyr, they called me back when a representative was available instead of me sitting on hold forever. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. It was seriously a game-changer for getting through to P-EBT customer service quickly.

i think this is happening to everyone rn... my kids P-EBT was in informed delivery monday but didnt show up til yesterday!!! just give it another day or 2

Also make sure your checking EVERYWHERE in ur mail cuz those envelopes look like junk mail sometimes!!! I almost threw mine away cuz it looked like credit card offer!!!

Just as a follow-up on activation - when the card arrives, you'll need to call the number on the back and have your child's date of birth ready. You'll create a 4-digit PIN. The system will tell you the current balance, which should match what your child's school notified you about. If the amount seems incorrect, you can call the P-EBT helpline, but for first-time activation, the EBT card number on the back is all you need. Also, be aware that P-EBT benefits are different from regular CalFresh. They can only be used for food items, not hot prepared foods (with some exceptions at approved restaurants in certain counties). The benefits also expire after a year, so make note of when they were issued.

I'm going through the same thing right now! My Informed Delivery showed my daughter's P-EBT card coming yesterday but still nothing in the mailbox. Reading all these responses is really reassuring - sounds like this is super common and I just need to be patient for a few more days. I had no idea that Informed Delivery just shows when mail gets scanned at the facility, not when it actually gets delivered to your house. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this really helps calm my nerves about it being lost!