CalWORKs EBT Cash withdrawal not working out of state - blocked?

ya they dont let u use cash benefits out of state anymore. ppl were abusing it i guess

There's been restrictions on using CalWORKs cash benefits outside of California for a few years now. They block it completely in some states. It's part of their fraud prevention system. You can still use your CalFresh food benefits though.

This is a common issue with CalWORKs - it's part of the EBT Restriction law that started around 2014. Cash benefits are blocked from ATM use when you're outside California, but there are some exceptions. Call your county worker to ask about a temporary waiver if you're there for a legitimate reason like helping with your mom's medical situation. Make sure you explain it's a temporary family emergency.

this happened 2 me too when i went to arizona. you can still use the card to buy stuff at walmart tho. they let u get cash back sometimes if u buy something small

I've had to deal with this exact problem! Try using your card at a grocery store register for a small purchase and ask for cash back - sometimes that works even when ATMs don't. Or see if someone can Zelle/Venmo you money while you're there and you can pay them back when you return to California.

I been on for like 5 years and they never mention this stuff I swear they want us to fail lol

Have you tried calling the EBT customer service number on the back of your card? Sometimes they can tell you which specific stores in your area will let you use the cash portion. Also worth calling your CalWORKs worker to see if there's anything they can do in emergency situations.

they make all these stupid rules but dont bother 2 tell neone about them. typical government BS

For future reference, here's what you need to know about EBT Cash restrictions: 1. Cash benefits from CalWORKs cannot be accessed via ATM in any state outside California 2. In some border areas there used to be exceptions but those have mostly been eliminated 3. Some retailers can still process EBT Cash purchases but not cash back 4. Always withdraw cash BEFORE leaving California 5. The EBT food benefits (CalFresh) still work nationwide at approved retailers Unfortunately there's no emergency override for this restriction. Your best option right now would be to see if someone in California can withdraw the cash for you (if you trust them with your card/PIN) and send it via Western Union or similar service.

One other suggestion - make sure you're reporting this trip to your county worker if you'll be gone more than 30 days. CalWORKs has residency requirements, and extended absences from California can affect your eligibility. Since you mentioned it's just for two weeks, you should be fine, but always good to know the rules.

This is so frustrating and I feel for you! I went through the exact same thing when I had to travel to Oregon for a family emergency last year. The EBT cash restrictions are real and there's unfortunately no way around them once you're already out of state. For immediate help, try calling 211 from your mom's area - they might know of local emergency assistance programs that can help with groceries or basic needs while you're there. Also, some churches and community organizations have emergency food pantries that don't require residency. It's not ideal but might help bridge the gap until you can get back to California or work out the money transfer with your sister.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - what a terrible time to find out about these restrictions! Since you mentioned your sister might be able to help, here's exactly what you'll need to do: have her go to any ATM in California with your card and PIN, withdraw the cash you need, then she can send it via Western Union, MoneyGram, or even apps like Zelle/Venmo if you both have them set up. Western Union is probably fastest for cash pickup in Nevada. Also, double-check that you're using a legitimate ATM - sometimes sketchy machines will decline cards that work fine elsewhere. But yeah, the out-of-state cash block is real and it's super frustrating they don't make this clear when you sign up!

I'm going through something similar right now! Just found out about this restriction the hard way when I tried to use my EBT cash in Arizona last month. What worked for me was having a family member back in California withdraw the money and send it through Cash App - it was way faster than Western Union and the fees were lower. Also, if you have any friends or family in Nevada who can lend you some cash temporarily, you could pay them back once you get home. The whole system is so poorly explained - they really need to make these restrictions more obvious during the application process. Hope you get this sorted out quickly for your mom's sake!

This is such a frustrating situation and I really feel for you! I had no idea about these restrictions either until it happened to me when I was visiting family in Oregon last year. One thing that might help immediately - try calling the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-992-0900. Sometimes they have emergency assistance programs for people temporarily in the state who are facing food insecurity. Also, many Walmart locations have Western Union services right in the store, so once your sister can withdraw the cash for you in California, she can send it and you can pick it up at the same location. The whole EBT cash restriction thing is so poorly communicated - they really should put warnings about this on the actual card or in the welcome packet. I hope you get this resolved quickly so you can focus on helping your mom with her recovery!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! This exact same thing happened to my cousin when she went to help her grandmother in Arizona. The EBT cash restrictions are real and unfortunately there's no emergency override. What ended up working for her was having someone trustworthy back in California withdraw the money and send it through Zelle since it's instant and free between most banks. If that's not an option, Western Union is reliable but has higher fees. Also try calling your local 211 in Nevada - they often know about emergency food assistance that can help while you're figuring out the money situation. It's ridiculous that they don't clearly explain these rules when you first get CalWORKs. Hang in there and I hope your mom's recovery goes well!

I went through this exact situation when I had to travel to Texas for my dad's medical emergency! The EBT cash restrictions are unfortunately very real - they've been in place since around 2012-2014 to prevent fraud, but the communication about it is terrible. Here's what saved me: have someone you trust in California withdraw your cash and use a peer-to-peer app like Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle to send it instantly. Zelle is usually free and instant between major banks. Also, definitely call Nevada 211 for local emergency food assistance while you sort this out. Some grocery stores will also let you purchase a Visa gift card with your EBT cash benefits (not food stamps) if the system allows it, though this varies by location. It's frustrating they don't make these restrictions crystal clear during enrollment - you shouldn't have to learn this during a family emergency!

This is such a frustrating situation and honestly one of the worst-kept secrets about CalWORKs! I went through the exact same thing when I had to unexpectedly travel to my uncle's funeral in Utah last year. The out-of-state EBT cash restrictions are absolutely real and there's no way around them once you're already out of state. What worked for me was having my roommate withdraw cash from my account back in California and send it through Zelle - it was instant and free since we both bank with Chase. If Zelle doesn't work, Cash App or Venmo are good alternatives with low fees. Also definitely call Nevada 211 like others mentioned - they connected me with a local food pantry in Utah that helped with groceries while I waited for the money transfer. The fact that they don't clearly explain these restrictions during CalWORKs orientation is honestly criminal - this should be printed in bold letters on every piece of paperwork they give us. Hope your mom's recovery goes smoothly and you can get this money situation sorted out quickly!

This is such an awful way to find out about these restrictions! I went through the exact same thing when my grandma got sick in Arizona last year. The EBT cash block is unfortunately real and there's no emergency override, but here's what worked for me: I had my brother back in California withdraw the cash and send it through PayPal - it was faster than Western Union and the fees were way lower. Also, try calling the local United Way office in Nevada (you can find the number through 211) - they sometimes have emergency cash assistance programs for people temporarily visiting the state who are helping with medical situations. Some grocery stores like Safeway will also let you buy prepaid Visa cards with EBT cash benefits, though not all locations allow this. It's absolutely ridiculous that they don't warn people about these restrictions during the application process - this should be the FIRST thing they tell you, not something you discover during a family crisis. Really hoping you can get this sorted out quickly so you can focus on helping your mom recover!