CalWORKs EBT Card - Can't withdraw cash for rent but purchases work fine. Anyone experience this?

did u try using it at the bank counter?? sometimes the ATMs have limits but if u go inside the bank that has the CA EBT logo and talk to a teller they can give u more cash. also make sure ur card isnt damaged like the strip on back. mine stopped working once and it was cuz the strip was scratched.

This happened to me a few months ago! My EBT card would work everywhere except ATMs. Turns out there was a block on my account because the system flagged it for suspicious activity (I had made a purchase in another county while visiting family). Call the number on the back of your card and speak to EBT customer service - completely different than county CalWORKs office. They can see if there's a special block on cash withdrawals.

Another possibility is that your PIN might have been temporarily locked if you entered it incorrectly too many times. The EBT system can be very sensitive about this. When you call the EBT customer service number (not the county CalWORKs office), they can unlock your PIN or help you reset it if needed. Also, if you've recently been reapproved for CalWORKs, sometimes there's a 24-48 hour delay before cash access is fully restored, even if your balance shows online. Make sure to specifically mention you can make purchases but not ATM withdrawals. This helps them narrow down the issue faster.

I spent 3 HOURS trying to reach someone at the EBT customer service line last month for a different issue!!! Kept getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever. Finally used Claimyr.com to get through - they called and waited on hold for me, then connected me once a real person was on the line. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Totally worth it for urgent issues like rent payment. The EBT customer service CAN fix these problems but actually reaching them is the hard part!

mine does this sometimes its because theres a daily withdrawl limit. if u allready did cashback at the store the atm wont let u take out more cash that same day. try tomorrow or go to the bank counter like somone else said. also some atms charge fees and take it from ur max amount.

This is definitely something the EBT customer service line can resolve, not the county CalWORKs office. There are several possible causes: 1. Security block from unusual transaction patterns (like using your card in a different county) 2. System delay from recent benefit recertification or approval 3. Temporary ATM-specific restriction 4. PIN issues or temporary security lockout In the meantime, if you need immediate cash for rent, remember you can do multiple smaller cash back transactions at grocery stores or pharmacies as a workaround. Many stores will let you get $40-100 cash back per transaction, so you could make several small purchases (like a $1 item each time) and request maximum cash back until you have enough for rent. It's not ideal but works in a pinch.

did you check if youre getting the actual cash benefits tho? sometimes they give food stamps but not cash aid if u didnt do ur WTW hours. my friend had this where she could use the card for food but not get cash and it was bcoz she missed her appointment with the job counselor.

Any update? Were you able to resolve this issue? I'm curious if it was related to your recent recertification or if it was something else entirely.