Received CalFresh approval letter and PIN but no EBT card - what's next?

Yes, the EBT card comes separately from the PIN for security reasons. It usually arrives within 7-10 business days after approval, but sometimes they're not mailed out until after your benefits are actually loaded onto the account (which can be different from your approval date). If it's been more than 10 business days since approval, you should call your county office to check on the status or possibly request a replacement card if it was lost in the mail. They can tell you if it was already sent and when.

Thanks for clarifying! I'll wait a few more days then. Do you know if there's any way to track the card delivery? I'm just nervous because my mailbox isn't very secure.

The cards ALWAYS take forever to come lol. Mine took almost 3 weeks and I was freaking out. But dont worry the benefits accumulate so when u finally get it all the money will be there! But ya after like 2 weeks definitely call

Ugh 3 weeks?? That's so long when you need food NOW! But good to know the benefits will still be there, that was another worry I had. Thanks!

Your EBT card comes in a very plain white envelope that looks like junk mail! I almost threw mine away. It doesn't say anything about CalFresh or benefits on the outside for privacy. Keep checking your mail carefully and look for something from

Oh that's really good to know! I'll check my mail more carefully. I definitely could have missed it thinking it was junk mail.

I've helped several clients with this exact issue. The EBT card is mailed from a central state office, not your county office, which is why it comes separately from your approval notice and PIN. The standard timeline is 7-10 business days after approval, but current processing times are running closer to 10-14 business days in most counties.\n\nIf you don't receive it by day 15 after approval, call your county worker directly. They can verify if a card was issued and when it was mailed. If it was mailed more than 7 days ago and you haven't received it, they can mark it as lost and issue a replacement.\n\nImportant: If you need food immediately, ask your worker about emergency food resources in your area. Many counties can refer you to food banks that partner with CalFresh to provide bridge assistance while waiting for cards to arrive.

Thank you for the detailed info! This is really helpful. It's been 10 calendar days but probably only 7-8 business days, so I'll wait until next week before calling. Good point about emergency food resources - I'll look into that as backup.

Ive been on calfresh for 3 years and had to get a replacement card twice. The regular customer service line is USELESS for card issues. You'll wait for hours and then get disconnected. I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to a real person at the CalFresh office way faster. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 \n\nSaved me so much frustration when I needed my replacement card fast. They got me through to a person who could actually check the status instead of the automated system that just tells you nothing helpful.

i tried calling the ebt customer service line yesterday and got disconnected 4 TIMES!! might try this service if my card doesnt come by monday

Don't panic yet! My family had the same issue last year. The approval letter and PIN came right away, but the actual EBT card took almost THREE WEEKS!!! The county told me they were backed up with card production. When I finally called after 2 weeks, they said it had been mailed just the day before my call! So frustrating. BUT all my benefits for the previous weeks were on the card when it finally came. The system is so broken!!!

Three weeks is ridiculous when people need food! But at least the benefits were there when it arrived. Sounds like I need to be patient for now. Thanks for sharing your experience!

quick question are u sure u didnt get the card earlier? sometimes they send the card first before approval and people dont realize what it is

I don't think so... this is my first time applying. But now I'm second-guessing myself. I'll go through all my mail again just to be sure!

Just to update you, I checked the current EBT card issuance timeframes for 2025, and they're experiencing some delays in several California counties. The current official timeframe is 7-10 business days, but realistically it's taking 10-14 business days in many areas. \n\nIf you do need to call, have your case number ready and specifically ask them to check: 1) When your EBT card was ordered, 2) If it's been mailed yet, and 3) The address it was sent to. Sometimes there can be address errors that cause delays. \n\nAlso important: Once you get your card, be sure to activate it immediately by calling the number on the back and changing the PIN to something you'll remember (you can use the one they sent or create a new one).

Thanks for checking the current timeframes! That helps set my expectations. I'll make sure I have my case number ready when I call. And good reminder about activation - I'll do that right away when it arrives.

I went through this exact same situation just last month! The waiting is so stressful when you're planning around those benefits. One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts through the BenefitsCal website - it doesn't tell you about card status specifically, but it does notify you when benefits are loaded, which usually happens around the same time the card is mailed. Also, if you're in a bigger county like LA or San Diego, the processing times tend to be longer right now due to high volume. Hang in there - the card will come and all your benefits will be waiting for you!

I'm dealing with this same situation right now! Got my approval letter last Friday and PIN on Monday, but still no EBT card. It's so nerve-wracking when you're counting on those benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really reassuring though - sounds like 10-14 business days is pretty normal even though it feels like forever when you need groceries. I'm going to check my mail extra carefully for that plain white envelope and maybe set up those text alerts someone mentioned. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips!

Just wanted to add another perspective - I'm a case worker and see this question almost daily! The card delay is unfortunately very common right now. One thing I always tell my clients is that you can actually call the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) and they can tell you if a card has been issued to your case, even if it hasn't arrived yet. This can give you peace of mind that it's actually in the mail. Also, if you're really in a bind for food before the card arrives, contact 211 - they can connect you with local food banks and emergency food assistance programs that don't require you to have your EBT card yet. The benefits will definitely be there when your card arrives, so don't worry about losing them!

As someone who just went through this process a few months ago, I totally understand your anxiety! The waiting period is the worst part, especially when you're planning your grocery budget around those benefits. I wanted to add that if you're in a rush and do need to call about your card status, try calling the county office first thing in the morning (like 8-8:30 AM) - the wait times are usually much shorter then. Also, don't feel bad about calling after 10 business days - that's totally reasonable and they're used to these inquiries. One more tip: when your card does arrive, test it immediately at a small purchase to make sure it's working properly, just in case there are any activation issues. The whole system definitely needs improvement, but hang in there - your benefits are safe and waiting for you!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Got approved 8 days ago, received my PIN yesterday, but still no card. Reading everyone's experiences here is so reassuring - I was starting to worry I did something wrong in my application. The tip about the plain white envelope is super helpful because I definitely would have thrown that away thinking it was spam mail! I'm going to wait until next week to call, but it's good to know the 1-877 number can tell you if the card was actually issued. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - it really helps to know this delay is totally normal even though it's frustrating when you need groceries!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in the exact same boat - got my approval letter 9 days ago and my PIN 3 days ago, but no EBT card yet. As a first-time applicant, I was starting to panic that something went wrong. Reading everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - it sounds like 10-14 business days is totally normal right now, even though it feels like forever when you're trying to plan your grocery shopping! I'm definitely going to be more careful checking my mail for that plain white envelope (I probably would have tossed it thinking it was junk mail). The tip about setting up text alerts on BenefitsCal is great too - at least I'll know when the benefits are loaded even if I'm still waiting for the physical card. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and advice - this community is so helpful for navigating all the confusing parts of this process!

I'm going through this exact same situation and it's so stressful! Got my CalFresh approval 12 days ago and my PIN about a week ago, but still no EBT card. I was starting to think I somehow messed up my application or that the card got lost. Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a relief - sounds like these delays are totally normal right now, even though they don't really explain that when you apply. I had no idea the card comes in a plain white envelope either - I definitely would have thrown that away thinking it was junk mail! I'm going to wait until the end of this week to call, but it's good to know about that EBT customer service number to check if the card was actually issued. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips - as a first-time applicant, this community has been so much more helpful than any of the official information I received!

I'm also waiting for my EBT card right now - got approved 6 days ago and received my PIN yesterday, but no card yet. This thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea the card comes separately or that it takes so long. As someone new to CalFresh, I was getting worried that I missed something in the process. The tip about the plain white envelope is crucial - I definitely would have assumed it was junk mail. I'm going to set up those text alerts on BenefitsCal that someone mentioned and wait another week before calling. It's frustrating when you're planning your grocery budget around these benefits, but it's so reassuring to know this delay is completely normal. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and making this less scary for us newcomers!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got my approval letter 11 days ago and PIN 4 days ago, but still no EBT card. Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief - I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong or that my card got lost in the mail. As a first-time CalFresh applicant, nobody really explains that the card comes separately or takes this long! The tip about the plain white envelope is so important - I definitely would have thrown that away assuming it was junk mail. I'm going to wait until next week to call, but it's really comforting to know from everyone's stories that 10-14 business days seems to be the normal timeline right now, even though it feels like forever when you're trying to plan grocery shopping for your family. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and making this process feel less overwhelming for us newcomers!

I'm in the exact same situation! Got my CalFresh approval 9 days ago and received my PIN yesterday, but still waiting on the actual EBT card. Reading through all these experiences has been so reassuring - I had no idea this was such a common delay! As a first-time applicant, I was getting really anxious thinking something went wrong with my application. The tip about the plain white envelope is so helpful because I definitely would have assumed it was junk mail and tossed it. I'm going to be extra careful checking my mail now and maybe set up those text alerts on BenefitsCal that someone mentioned. It's frustrating when you're trying to plan your grocery budget around these benefits, but knowing that 10-14 business days seems to be the normal timeline right now makes me feel much better about waiting a bit longer. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - this community is so much more helpful than any of the official information I received during the application process!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got my CalFresh approval 8 days ago and my PIN arrived yesterday, but still no EBT card. As a first-time applicant, I was getting really worried that I'd somehow messed up my application or missed a step. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like the 10-14 business day wait is completely normal right now, even though they don't really explain that during the application process. The tip about the plain white envelope is so important - I definitely would have thrown that away thinking it was junk mail! I'm going to wait until next week before calling, but it's good to know about that EBT customer service number to check if the card was actually issued. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and advice - this community has been way more helpful than any of the official information I received. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one going through this waiting game!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Got my CalFresh approval 6 days ago and received my PIN this morning, but still waiting on the EBT card. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea the card would come separately or that these delays were so common! As a first-time applicant, I was starting to panic thinking I'd done something wrong in my application. The tip about the plain white envelope is crucial because I definitely would have assumed it was junk mail and thrown it away. I'm going to be extra careful checking my mail now and wait until at least the 10 business day mark before calling. It's so reassuring to know from everyone's experiences that the 10-14 day timeline is completely normal right now, even though it feels like forever when you're trying to budget for groceries. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and practical advice - this community has been way more helpful than any of the official information I received during the application process!