Lost my EBT and P-EBT cards plus ID - fastest way to get replacements?

For your regular EBT card, call the EBT Customer Service number (1-877-328-9677) right away if you haven't already. They'll deactivate your card so nobody can use your benefits and start the replacement process. For P-EBT, you'll need to call the P-EBT helpline at 877-328-9677 and follow the prompts specifically for P-EBT. Unfortunately, both replacement cards typically come by mail and yes, it usually takes 7-10 business days. The county office can't print EBT cards on-site anymore.

Ugh I feel ur pain!!! Had my purse stolen at the park last summer with ALL my cards too. For the EBT u HAVE TO call that 877 number, county workers cant help with EBT cards direclty. Make sure u report both cards stolen separately cuz theyre technicaly diffrent programs. took me like 9 days to get my new EBT but only 5 days for P-EBT weirdly.

While waiting for your replacement cards, you should contact your local food bank for emergency assistance. 211 can connect you with food pantries in your area. Also, when you call to report the cards stolen, ask specifically about an "emergency vault voucher" - some counties can issue emergency paper vouchers that can be used at certain stores while waiting for your replacement card, though this isn't available everywhere in California. You'll need to explain that you have no other resources for food. And don't forget to file a police report about your stolen wallet - it might be required for certain emergency assistance.

Same thing happened to me in december, what a nightmare!! the replacement process for both cards is different even though they look similar. for the regular EBT i waited 45 min on hold then gave up and tried again at like 6am and got through in 10 min. they canceled my old card and sent new one. for the P-EBT had to leave a voicemail and someone called back a day later. took about a week to get my EBT and almost 2 weeks for the p-ebt! make sure ur address is correct in the system!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a CalFresh representative faster? I was in a similar situation last month (had my wallet stolen from my car!) and spent HOURS trying to get a person on the phone. A friend told me about claimyr.com and it saved me so much time - they got me through to a real person in about 10 minutes when I was previously waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Definitely helped me get my replacement process started way faster than I would have on my own.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the replacement timeframe is pretty much set in stone. The county offices have ZERO ability to give you a temporary card nowadays - they completely phased that out in 2022. Your benefits are still in your account, but you literally can't access them until that physical card arrives. It's a terrible system flaw. Call exactly at 8:00am when the customer service line opens for shortest wait times. And definitely call P-EBT separately - different database entirely despite using the same phone number.

ALSO! Very important - if whoever stole your wallet uses your EBT card before you report it stolen, those benefits are GONE. They will NOT replace stolen benefits, only the physical card. So if you haven't reported them stolen yet, do it IMMEDIATELY regardless of hold times.

Since you mentioned you have children, I want to make sure you know that while waiting for your replacement cards, you might qualify for emergency assistance through other programs. Contact your local WIC office if you have children under 5, as they can sometimes provide emergency food packages. Also, many school districts have emergency meal programs for families in crisis situations. Your children's school might be able to provide additional meals or weekend food packs while you're waiting for your benefit cards.

this is why i always keep my ebt separate from my regular wallet!! learned this the hard way 2 yrs ago. keep ur replacement in a different spot maybe?

Just to follow up - were you able to get emergency food assistance while waiting for your cards? The fastest way to get your new EBT card typically takes 5-7 business days, but your county worker can sometimes expedite the process if you explain your hardship situation. For the P-EBT cards, unfortunately there's less flexibility since they're managed at the state level rather than county level.

So glad to hear you got the emergency vault voucher! That's huge relief. For anyone else reading this who might be in similar situations, it's worth noting that you really have to push for a supervisor when asking about emergency assistance - the first person you talk to usually doesn't have authority to approve those vouchers. Also, when your new cards arrive, make sure to activate them right away and destroy the old ones if they somehow turn up. The system can get confused if both cards are active at the same time. Hope everything works out for you and your kids!