P-EBT 4.0 cards being mailed to wrong address - need help confirming correct mailing info
I'm super confused about where my P-EBT 4.0 card is being sent. I'm eligible for the new round of benefits for my kids, but I moved last year and I'm worried the card might go to my old address. I've called the P-EBT hotline THREE different times and gotten THREE different answers about which address they're using to mail the cards! First person said they use the school district address, second said it's whatever address is in the CalFresh system, third said it's based on what the school reported to CDE. Has anyone actually received their P-EBT 4.0 card yet? Which address did they use for you? I'm stressing because that's $1,065 per kid I can't afford to lose if it goes to the wrong place!
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Sophia Russo
For P-EBT 4.0, they're supposed to be using the address that's on file with your child's school as of January 2025. If you updated your address with the school before then, you should be good. If not, you might need to request a replacement once they're all issued. The cards are being mailed out in batches through June 2025, so many people haven't received theirs yet. Just make sure your current address is updated in the P-EBT Portal (pebt.dss.ca.gov) as soon as possible.
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Mason Kaczka
•Thank you! I did update with the school in September 2024, so hopefully that's what they'll use. Is there any way to check which address they have on file before they mail it? The P-EBT portal doesn't seem to show that info when I log in.
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Evelyn Xu
mine just came yesterday!!! it went to my current address which is the same one thats on file with my kids school. didnt have to do anything special
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Mason Kaczka
•That's a relief to hear! Did you get a notification before it arrived or did it just show up in your mailbox?
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Dominic Green
I've been calling that stupid hotline for TWO WEEKS straight trying to confirm my address! Every time I call, I get disconnected after waiting for 45+ minutes. This is RIDICULOUS! My daughter qualifies for the P-EBT but we moved three times in the last two years and I'm 100% certain they don't have my current address. Why make it so IMPOSSIBLE to update basic information???
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Hannah Flores
•Try using Claimyr.com to get through to them faster. It's a service that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. They helped me reach an actual human at the P-EBT helpline after I tried for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Kayla Jacobson
According to the official P-EBT 4.0 guidelines, they use the student's address that was on file with the school as of January 2025. If your child receives CalFresh as well, they cross-reference that information. If there's a discrepancy, they typically default to the school address information since P-EBT is school-based. If your card gets sent to an old address, you can request a replacement through the P-EBT Portal or by calling the hotline, but there will be a delay of 10-15 business days. Source: I work at a community resource center and we've been helping families with these exact issues.
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William Rivera
•do u know if foster kids get it automatically or do we have to apply somewhere special? my nephew is living with me now but he was in the system earlier this year
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Grace Lee
I got mine but they sent it to my ex husbands house even though my kids havent lived there in 3 years!!!!! So mad right now because he's being difficult about giving me the card. Make sure you call and update your address asap. And they told me you have to activate it within 30 days of when it was mailed or they might cancel it?? Is that true?
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Kayla Jacobson
•That 30-day activation requirement isn't accurate. The P-EBT 4.0 cards need to be activated, but there's no 30-day deadline. However, benefits that aren't used for 274 days (about 9 months) will start to be removed from the card. I'd recommend filing for a replacement card through the P-EBT Portal if your ex won't cooperate, and specify that you never received the original card.
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William Rivera
My daughters card came to my house even tho i didnt update my adress with the school lol go figure. i think they just use whatever is in their system
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Sophia Russo
•They might have cross-referenced your address with other benefit systems if your family receives CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal. The P-EBT program pulls data from multiple sources to try to get the most current information, but their systems don't always communicate perfectly.
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Mason Kaczka
Update: I finally got through to someone helpful at the P-EBT hotline! They confirmed they're using my current address from the school records. She said if anyone is having address issues, you can update your address directly in the P-EBT Portal (pebt.dss.ca.gov) and request a replacement card if needed. Apparently the batch mailings are happening by county, so some areas are getting cards before others. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Evelyn Xu
•glad u got it figured out! make sure u activate it right away when it comes
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Kai Rivera
I'm in a similar situation! I moved twice in 2024 and was so worried about my P-EBT 4.0 card going to the wrong address. What really helped me was creating an account on the P-EBT Portal (pebt.dss.ca.gov) and updating my address there, even though I wasn't sure if it would make a difference. I also contacted my kids' school directly to make sure they had my current address on file. The school registrar told me that as long as I updated it before January 2025, it should be the address they use for P-EBT mailings. Still waiting for my card to arrive, but at least I feel more confident now that it'll come to the right place. Good luck Mason!
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Douglas Foster
I'm dealing with the exact same issue! I moved in November 2024 and have been panicking about my P-EBT 4.0 card going to my old apartment. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been SO helpful - it sounds like as long as I updated my address with my son's school before January 2025 (which I did in December), I should be okay. I tried calling the hotline last week and waited 2 hours just to get disconnected, so I'm really grateful for all the real-world data points people are sharing here. Has anyone else noticed if certain counties are getting their cards faster than others? I'm in Orange County and still waiting. Also @Hannah Flores that Claimyr service sounds like a lifesaver - definitely going to try that if I need to call again!
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