CalWORKs showing payment 'qualification' status - no EBT card yet. What do we do?

Congrats on getting approved! 'Qualification' usually means the payment has been authorized but hasn't been issued to your EBT card yet. If this is your first CalWORKs payment, you should receive your EBT card in the mail within 7-10 business days after approval. The card comes in a plain white envelope that looks like junk mail, so check your mail carefully! If it's been more than 10 business days since your approval date, you might want to contact your county office. They can verify if a card was mailed out and when. They can also issue an emergency replacement card if needed, especially if you explain your urgent situation with rent and utilities.

What county are you in? In LA County you can actually go to the office and get an EBT card issued same-day if you explain it's an emergency situation. I had to do this when my rent was due and I couldn't wait for the mail. Just bring your ID and your approval notice if you have it. And definitely ask about retroactive benefits - if your application has been pending for 3 months, you should get back payments from your application date as long as you were eligible during that time.

my bf had this same thing happen he got aproved but no card for like 2 weeks!! we kept calling the ebt customer service number but they just said the card was mailed already. finaly went to the office and they said the address was wrong in there system!! got a card right there tho and the money was on it. defintly go in person if u can!

congrats on getting approved! why did it take 3 months tho?? thats crazy long for calworks. was there a problem with his disability verification?

If you need to reach someone at the county office quickly, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation where I couldn't reach anyone about my CalWORKs application for WEEKS. Claimyr got me through to a real person in under 25 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE They basically call the county for you and navigate the phone tree, then call you when they get a real person. Saved me so much frustration when I was dealing with my EBT card issues.

I don't think 'qualification' means it's pending. It usually means your benefit amount has been calculated based on your particular circumstances (income, family size, etc.). That payment should load onto your EBT card once you receive it. If this is your first time receiving CalWORKs, your worker should have told you that a card would be coming in the mail. They often come in plain envelopes that look like junk mail, so be on the lookout. If it's been more than 10 days since approval, definitely go to the office. You can get a card issued on-site if you explain the emergency nature of your situation. Also, be aware that if your husband's disability is the basis for your eligibility, you might need to submit verification every few months depending on the nature of his disability. Make sure to ask about the reporting requirements when you talk to someone so you don't lose benefits unexpectedly.

THEY ALWAYS DO THIS!!!! The system is designed to make things as difficult as possible. They approve you but then make it impossible to get your benefits. I had a similar issue last year and ended up having to make FOUR trips to the county office before I finally got my card. Each time they told me something different. Make sure you bring EVERY document you can think of - ID, social security cards, birth certificates, approval letters, everything. Otherwise they'll just send you home to get whatever document they suddenly decide they need.

UPDATE: We went to the county office this morning and got our EBT card! You all were right - there was an issue with our address in the system. They had our old apartment number even though we submitted the correct address on our application. The case worker was able to issue us a card on the spot and the benefits were already loaded on it. They also confirmed we'll be getting retroactive payments from our application date, which is a huge relief. Thanks everyone for your help!