BenefitsCal not letting me complete CalWORKs recertification online - anyone else stuck?

I had the same problem last month!! So annoyng. I think the recert button only shows up exactly 30 days before your due date. Are you trying too early maybe? Also check under the "actions" tab not the dashboard, thats where I found mine

The BenefitsCal website has been having glitches with the recertification module since they updated it in January. When you log in, click on your CalWORKs case first (not your CalFresh if you have both), then look for "Renewals" in the left sidebar menu. If you don't see that option, it could mean the county hasn't triggered your electronic recertification yet in their system. Also, check if you received an email notification - sometimes the website notification doesn't appear but they still send the email with a direct link to start the recertification process. Search your inbox and spam folder for emails from noreply@benefitscal.com.

This happens EVERY SINGLE TIME. The county systems are so broken!!! I've never ONCE been able to do my CalWORKs recert completely online without problems. Either the website crashes or the recert option just never shows up. They send us these threatening letters about getting cut off if we don't recertify but then make it IMPOSSIBLE to actually do it. Last time my benefits got cut off even though I submitted everything and had to wait 3 weeks to get them back. I had to borrow money for rent!!! I hate this system!!!

Try calling the BenefitsCal technical support line at 1-800-494-0939. They're open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm. If that doesn't work, you might need to contact your county directly. I recently used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to my county worker after trying for days with no luck. It got me through in less than 20 minutes when I was dealing with a similar recertification issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - basically they hold your place in line and call you when a worker picks up. Saved me a trip to the office and probably my benefits too since I was cutting it close to the deadline.

The online recertification system for CalWORKs has specific triggers that sometimes fail. Here's what you need to do: 1. First, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then log in again 2. Make sure you're clicking on the specific Cash Aid case, not your general dashboard 3. If you still don't see the option, you can actually start a recertification by selecting "Report Changes" and then selecting "I want to renew my benefits" 4. If that option isn't there, call your county office immediately Important: Even if you can't complete it online, you can still protect your benefits by submitting the paper SAR 7 or SAWS 2 form that came in the mail. You can drop it off, fax it, or mail it (though mailing this close to the deadline is risky). As long as you submit something before the deadline, your benefits should continue while they process your recertification.

did u try using a different browser? my benfitscal site only works right on chrome not safari lol. also sometimes i hav to click on 'report a change in my household' and then there's like a dropdown menu that has the recertificaiton option. Its super confusing they really need to fix there website!!1!

I just finished my CalWORKs recert last week and had the same issue at first. For me, I had to click on "Documents" first, and then there was a section showing "Required Documents" which included my recertification. Super weird place for it! Check there maybe?

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to find the recertification option? If not, definitely call your county office ASAP. Sometimes what happens is that your case is flagged for an interview recertification rather than just an online one. This happens randomly or if there's been changes in your situation that might require verification. If you haven't been able to start the process online by tomorrow, I would 100% call your county worker and explain the situation. They can either trigger the online recert option manually or schedule you for a phone interview instead. Just make sure to do something before your deadline so your Cash Aid doesn't get interrupted.

So glad you found it! The "Required Renewals" section under Documents is such a weird place to put it - no wonder so many people miss it. I had a similar issue a few months back and spent hours looking everywhere else on the site. It's really frustrating that they don't make the recertification process more obvious, especially when our benefits depend on it. Thanks for updating us on where you found it - this will definitely help other people who run into the same problem!

This whole thread is so valuable! I'm saving it for future reference. It's honestly shocking how poorly designed the BenefitsCal website is - hiding the recertification under "Documents > Required Renewals" is just terrible UX design. When people's survival depends on these benefits, the process should be crystal clear, not a treasure hunt through random menu sections. I work in tech and see this kind of poor interface design all the time, but it's especially frustrating when it affects vulnerable populations who can't afford to miss deadlines. They should have multiple clear pathways to recertification - a big banner notification, a dedicated section on the dashboard, AND the current location for redundancy. @ThunderBolt7 I'm so glad you got it sorted out! And thanks to everyone who shared different locations where they found their recert options - it shows how inconsistent and confusing this system really is.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm bookmarking it for my next recertification. It's so frustrating that we have to crowdsource solutions for basic government services that should just work. I had a similar nightmare experience trying to submit my quarterly report last month - the "Submit" button literally wasn't showing up on mobile, only desktop. What really gets me is that they threaten to cut off benefits if we're even a day late, but then their own system makes it nearly impossible to actually comply with the requirements. And of course when you call for help, you're on hold for hours or the line just disconnects. @ThunderBolt7 I'm so relieved you found it under Documents! Thanks for sharing the solution - I bet this will help tons of other people who are dealing with the same issue. This community is honestly a lifesaver for navigating all these broken systems.

This thread is exactly why I love this community! The fact that everyone jumped in to help troubleshoot this issue shows how much we all understand the stress of dealing with these poorly designed government systems. I've been on CalWORKs for about a year now and I swear every single interaction with BenefitsCal feels like solving a puzzle. The recertification process especially seems designed to trip people up - between the confusing navigation, inconsistent button locations, and lack of clear notifications, it's honestly a miracle anyone manages to complete it successfully. What really bothers me is that this isn't just poor web design - it's a barrier that disproportionately affects people who are already struggling. Not everyone has the time, tech skills, or internet access to spend hours hunting through random menu sections to find basic functions. Some people will lose their benefits simply because the website is too confusing to navigate. @ThunderBolt7 I'm so glad you found it under Documents > Required Renewals! That's definitely going in my mental notes for next time. And huge thanks to everyone who shared their different workarounds and solutions. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone dealing with CalWORKs recertification issues!

This entire thread is a perfect example of how this community fills the gaps that government systems leave behind. I've been dealing with CalWORKs for about two years now, and honestly, I learn more about navigating BenefitsCal from posts like this than from any official documentation or customer service. The fact that @ThunderBolt7 found their recertification buried under "Documents > Required Renewals" is just mind-boggling. That's not intuitive AT ALL. I would have never thought to look there - I would have assumed it belonged under something obvious like "Benefits" or "My Case" or literally anywhere else. What's really frustrating is how this creates unnecessary anxiety and stress during what's already a difficult time. When you're depending on these benefits to keep your family afloat, the last thing you need is to spend hours playing hide-and-seek with essential functions on a broken website. I'm definitely saving this thread and all the different locations people found their recert options. Between the Actions tab, Report Changes workaround, and Documents section, at least we've got multiple places to check now. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of community problem-solving is invaluable when dealing with these systems!