Will P-EBT 2025 benefits load on existing cards or are new ones being mailed?

Im pretty sure theyre using existing cards if u still got them. My neighbor works for the school district and said they're trying to save $ on not mailing new ones to everyone this time. Check ur old card balance in a few weeks and it should be there!

According to the CDSS website for the 2025 P-EBT distribution, they will first attempt to load benefits onto existing P-EBT cards. If your previous card is still active, you should receive benefits on that same card. However, if your card has been inactive for more than 365 days, or if the system shows it as lost/damaged, they will mail a new card automatically. If you've moved since your last P-EBT issuance, you should update your address through BenefitsCal or by contacting your county office. The current benefit issuance schedule shows they're distributing funds in phases between April-June 2025, depending on your county and school district.

@profile7 You should report it lost by calling the EBT Customer Service line at 1-877-328-9677. If you don't report it and they try to load funds on the lost card, you might experience delays getting a replacement after distribution starts.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an actual person? I was having the same issue trying to reach someone about my P-EBT card situation (had an address change). After wasting hours on hold and getting disconnected, I used claimyr.com and they got me through to a live person in less than 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Totally worth it - got my address updated and confirmed they'll send a new card since my old one expired.

It works for the main EBT customer service line which handles both regular CalFresh and P-EBT card issues. The same customer service center deals with both types of cards!

actually i think yall are confused P-EBT isnt the same as calfresh EBT!!!! P-EBT is only for kids in school and its totally separate from regular calfresh. i have both and they use different cards and different websites. my kids p-ebt is a white card and my calfresh is the yellow/gold one

THEY BETTER NOT SEND NEW CARDS!!!! I've kept every P-EBT card since the program started and they've ALWAYS loaded the new benefits on the original card. If they suddenly change this policy without proper notification, thousands of families will miss out on benefits they're entitled to. The state is already doing a terrible job communicating about this program. My daughter's school never even sent out the email about 2025 eligibility - I only found out through a Facebook group for parents!

Just to clarify some confusion I'm seeing in this thread: 1. For P-EBT 2025, they will attempt to load benefits on existing cards first 2. New cards are only issued if: - Your previous card is reported lost/stolen - Your card has been inactive for 365+ days - Your address has changed and been updated in the system - You're new to the program entirely The P-EBT and CalFresh cards look different (P-EBT is white with a blue stripe, CalFresh is the golden State of California design), but they're both managed through the same EBT contractor and customer service system. P-EBT benefits for 2025 are being issued between April-June depending on your county and school district. Some counties are receiving benefits in waves based on the first letter of the child's last name. If you need to update your address or report a lost card, calling the EBT Customer Service number is correct (though as others have mentioned, wait times can be extremely long).