Why is my CalFresh P-EBT card showing 'contact issuer' error at checkout?

Same thing happened to me last month! The new P-EBT cards look different too, more bluish? Anyway I kept getting that error and apparently they changed something in their system. When you call try using the child's DOB not yours.

Wait, really? I've been using MY date of birth this whole time! I'll try my oldest child's DOB. Thank you so much for the tip.

ugh the whole P-EBT program is such a mess. my card worked fine for 2 months then suddenly stopped. called the number and waited for 3 HOURS!! they finally told me there was a \

That's exactly what it feels like! I can't wait 2 weeks - my kids need to eat now. Did they at least backpay you for the time you couldn't access your benefits?

I had this exact issue in January. Here's what's happening: The new P-EBT cards issued for 2025 require you to use the date of birth of the YOUNGEST child in your household who qualifies for the program, not your DOB or your oldest child's. This changed from previous years. \n\nAlso, make sure you're selecting EBT, not SNAP at the terminal - some stores updated their systems and now specifically use \

Thank you for this detailed explanation! I'll try my youngest's DOB tonight when I go shopping. I didn't realize they changed the verification process. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll have to request the PIN reset by mail, but really hoping it doesn't come to that.

did u activate it first??? my sister had same problem turns out she never activated it lol

Yes, I did activate it - that's when I first ran into the DOB verification issue. But I think the problem might be that I was using MY date of birth instead of my child's, based on what others are saying.

The P-EBT program is different from regular CalFresh/EBT, which might be causing confusion. For P-EBT specifically, I recommend trying these steps:\n\n1. Use the youngest qualifying child's DOB when calling\n2. Select \

I had the exact same problem last month and was going crazy trying to get help. After wasting hours on hold with the regular number, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual human at the P-EBT office in less than 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The agent was able to verify my youngest child's info didn't match what they had in the system (they had the wrong birth year!). Got it fixed and my card worked the next day.

Thank you for these detailed steps! I'll try the youngest child's DOB first, and if that doesn't work, I'll try asking the cashier for help with manual entry. Really hoping one of these solutions works!

also make sure ur not tryin to buy non-food items with it! some stores have weird systems that reject the whole transaction even if just one item isn't eligible

That's a good point! I was buying only food items (at least I think so). I'll double check my cart next time to be 100% sure everything is eligible.

Has anyone actually gotten through to a real person at the P-EBT help line lately? I've been trying for DAYS and keep getting disconnected after waiting for an hour. This whole program is so frustrating. My sister told me they might be phasing out P-EBT in California but I haven't seen anything official about that.

Check out Claimyr - that's the only way I finally got through. And no, they're not phasing out P-EBT. They actually just approved the 2025-2026 extension but they changed a bunch of eligibility requirements which is probably causing all these system issues.

Thanks, I'll look into that service. And good to know they're not phasing it out! The misinformation just adds to the stress.

UPDATE: IT WORKED! I tried using my youngest child's DOB when calling the number, and I was able to verify and set a new PIN! Then I made sure to select \

That's amazing news, Mateo! So glad you got it working. Your experience is going to help so many other families who are dealing with the same frustrating issue. It's ridiculous that they changed the verification process without clearly communicating it to cardholders. Thanks for sharing the update - I'm sure other parents in this group will find your solution really helpful!