When can I use CalFresh benefits - midnight or 6am like the cash benefit restriction?

Yes!! CalFresh benefits are available at midnight on your deposit day. The 6am restriction is ONLY for the cash benefits side of the EBT card. I do midnight shopping all the time when my benefits hit - just used mine last night actually! The cash and food benefits are completely separate systems even though they're on the same card.

Just to add some more information - CalFresh benefits are loaded according to your case number. The last digit of your case number determines which day of the month your benefits become available. If your case number ends in 1, you get benefits on the 1st, if it ends in 2, you get them on the 2nd, and so on. If it ends in 0, you get them on the 10th. And yes, they are available at midnight, unlike the cash benefits which aren't available until 6am.

When I had this same question last month, I spent TWO HOURS trying to get through to my county CalFresh office just to ask this simple timing question. Ended up using Claimyr.com instead and they got me connected to a real person in like 5 minutes. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The worker confirmed that food benefits are available at midnight on your issuance day. Saved myself so much frustration!

WRONG INFORMATION ALERT!!! I work at a grocery store that's open 24/7 and this is NOT ALWAYS TRUE about midnight access. Sometimes the state system has delays and benefits don't actually appear until 2-3am even though they're supposed to be there at midnight. I've seen sooo many people get embarrassed when their card declines at 12:30am when they thought benefits would be there. If you're completely out of food, don't risk it - maybe wait until morning to be 100% sure.

This confused me so much when i first got benefits lol i thought the cash and calfresh were the same thing for the longest time. but ya the food stamps part works at midnight on ur day but the cash part wont work till 6am because they dont want people using it at bars and casinos late night (thats what my worker told me anyway

An important thing to remember: even though the benefits are available at midnight, not all stores process EBT transactions overnight. Some smaller grocery stores have their payment systems set up to batch process EBT transactions only during regular business hours. I've had this happen at a couple of smaller markets. The major chains like Walmart, Safeway, etc. usually process them 24/7, but just something to be aware of!

i tryed using mine at 12:01 once and it didnt work had to wait till like 12:15 for some reason... the system updates slow sometimes

My CalFresh worker actually explained this to me during my recertification interview - the 6am restriction for cash benefits was specifically created to prevent people from using those funds at certain establishments during late night hours (like casinos, bars, etc). Since food benefits can only be used for food anyway, they don't have the same restriction. They should be available right at midnight on your issuance date unless there's a system issue.

Just to clarify for everyone - there are two sides to an EBT card in California: 1. CalFresh (food benefits): Available at midnight on your issuance date 2. CalWORKs/General Assistance (cash benefits): Not available until 6am on your issuance date These are governed by different regulations. The system that loads CalFresh benefits is separate from the system that loads cash benefits, even though they're on the same physical card. So OP, yes, you can use your food benefits at midnight!

I can confirm this from experience! I've been using CalFresh for about 2 years now and always do my monthly grocery run right at midnight when benefits load. The food benefits are definitely available at 12:00am sharp on your issuance day. Just make sure you're shopping at a major chain store that processes EBT 24/7 - I've had good luck with stores like Walmart Supercenter, Safeway, and Target. The only time I've had issues is when there are rare system maintenance windows, but those are usually announced ahead of time. Hope this helps ease your mind about getting groceries for your family!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been on CalFresh for 3 years - the midnight availability is definitely true, but I've learned a few tricks to make it smoother! First, I always check my EBT balance online or call the customer service number around 11:45pm on my issuance day to confirm the benefits have loaded before heading to the store. Second, if you're going to a 24-hour store, I'd recommend calling ahead to make sure their EBT system is working that night - some stores do maintenance on their payment systems during overnight hours. Lastly, always have a backup plan just in case there are technical issues! The benefits will definitely be there by morning if there are any overnight glitches. Hope your midnight shopping trip goes smoothly!

Yes, CalFresh benefits are available at midnight on your issuance day! I've been using them for about a year now and always do my grocery shopping right when they load. The 6am restriction only applies to cash benefits (CalWORKs), not food benefits. Just a heads up though - sometimes there can be small delays (like 10-15 minutes) while the system updates, so don't panic if it doesn't work at exactly 12:00am. Also make sure you're going to a major chain store that processes EBT 24/7. Good luck with your shopping trip!

I've been on CalFresh for about 8 months and can definitely confirm that food benefits are available at midnight on your issuance day! I actually keep the EBT customer service number saved in my phone (1-877-328-9677) because you can check your balance 24/7 by calling and entering your card number. I usually call around 11:55pm to make sure my benefits have loaded before leaving the house. The automated system will tell you your CalFresh balance and your last transaction, so you'll know for sure if the money is there. This has saved me from making unnecessary trips when there were system delays. Also, pro tip - download the ebtEDGE mobile app if you haven't already. You can check balances, view transaction history, and even find participating stores near you. Makes managing benefits so much easier!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I was in the exact same situation last month! I was completely out of food and really nervous about trying to use my benefits at midnight. I ended up going to a 24-hour Walmart and my CalFresh benefits worked perfectly at 12:02am on my issuance day. The cashier told me that food benefits are definitely available at midnight, unlike the cash side which has the 6am restriction. One thing that really helped me was downloading the ebtEDGE app beforehand so I could check my balance right from my phone before leaving the house. It showed my benefits had loaded at exactly midnight. Also, if you're worried about any potential delays, you could always call the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) around 11:55pm to double-check your balance before heading out. Hope your shopping trip goes smoothly and you can get some real food for your family!