Can I use my CalWORKs EBT card to withdraw Cash Aid at ATMs in another state?

yes u can use it out of state. i went to oregon last summer for my cousins wedding and it worked fine at atms there, just had higher fees at some places.

Yes, your EBT card will work at ATMs in other states, but there are some important things to know: 1. You'll typically pay higher ATM fees out-of-state (sometimes $3-5 per transaction) 2. You're still allowed to be out of state temporarily (up to 30 days) without it affecting your CalWORKs eligibility 3. If you're gone longer than 30 days, you need to report it to your county office as a change 4. Make sure you still submit your SAR7 on time if it's due while you're away Also, if you need to contact your worker while you're gone, remember you can access BenefitsCal.com from anywhere to check your case status.

my cousin said she got her benefits cut off after she used her card in texas but that was probably because she was gone for like 3 months lol not because she used the card there

I used mine in Nevada and it FLAGGED my account!! Had to call and explain I was just visiting family for a weekend. Such a headache. They made me verify my address when I got back with mail and everything. SO annoying.

If you're worried about potential issues, I'd recommend calling your eligibility worker before you go to let them know you'll be temporarily out of state. That way they can note it in your file and you won't have problems when you get back. And yes, the card will work at most ATMs that accept EBT, but watch out for the fees! They can really add up. Some banks charge $5+ for out-of-network withdrawals on top of what California already charges for ATM use after your free withdrawals are used up. BTW if you have trouble reaching your worker (which is common), I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) last month when I needed to update my address. They got me through to a live person at my county office in about 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

I work for the county (not speaking officially), and here's what I can tell you: 1. Your EBT card will work in other states - the system is national 2. Short trips (under 30 days) are totally fine and won't affect eligibility 3. Using your card out of state doesn't automatically trigger anything in our systems 4. HOWEVER, if something else causes your case to be reviewed while you're gone, the out-of-state transactions might raise questions If you're really concerned, it doesn't hurt to withdraw enough cash before you leave CA. That way you don't have to worry about ATM access or fees while traveling.

Thanks everyone for the help! I called my worker (took forever to get through) and let them know I'll be in Arizona for 2 weeks. They noted it in my file and said it's totally fine as long as it's less than 30 days. They also mentioned I should keep my receipts from the ATM withdrawals just in case there are any questions later. I'm going to take out most of what I need before I leave CA to avoid those crazy fees too!

Great question! I was in the same situation last year when I had to help my mom after her surgery in Nevada. Your EBT card will definitely work at ATMs in Arizona - the system is nationwide. Just be prepared for higher fees (I paid around $3-4 per withdrawal at most ATMs there). Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're well within the 30-day limit so no worries about your case. Just make sure to keep your receipts from any ATM transactions while you're there. Some people recommend calling your worker ahead of time to let them know, but honestly for such a short trip it's probably not necessary. One tip: try to find ATMs at major banks like Bank of America or Wells Fargo - they usually have lower fees than those random convenience store ATMs. Have a great trip helping with the new baby!

I just went through this exact situation last month when I visited my brother in Texas for 10 days! Your EBT card will absolutely work at ATMs in Arizona - the system is connected nationwide. I was able to withdraw my cash aid without any issues. A few things I learned: - ATM fees were definitely higher (around $3-5 per transaction depending on the bank) - I withdrew larger amounts less frequently to minimize fees - Keep all your ATM receipts just in case - Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're totally fine with the 30-day rule One thing that really helped me was using the "ATM Locator" feature on the EBT website before I left to find the cheapest ATMs near where I was staying. Bank of America and Chase typically had the lowest fees in my experience. Have a wonderful time helping with the new baby! It's so sweet that you're making the trip to support your sister.

I had a similar experience when I traveled to visit family in Oregon last year! Your EBT card will definitely work in Arizona - the network is nationwide. I was there for about 10 days and had no issues accessing my cash aid. Just a heads up on the fees though - they can really add up! I ended up paying between $3-6 per withdrawal depending on which ATM I used. What I wish I had done was take out more cash before leaving California to avoid those extra charges. Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're well within the allowed time frame and shouldn't have any issues with your case. The 30-day rule gives you plenty of buffer. Just keep your ATM receipts in case you need them later. Hope everything goes well with helping your sister and the new baby! It's so nice that you're able to be there for her during this time.

I actually just dealt with this situation a few months ago when I had to travel to help my aunt in New Mexico after she had surgery. Your EBT card will work perfectly fine in Arizona - the system is connected across all states. A couple of practical tips from my experience: - The ATM fees were brutal, usually $3-5 per transaction, so definitely try to withdraw larger amounts less frequently - I found that credit union ATMs sometimes had slightly lower fees than the big bank ones - Make sure your phone is charged when you travel because some ATMs will text you transaction confirmations, and it's good to have those records Since you're only going for 2 weeks to help with the new baby, you're well under the 30-day limit so no worries about your benefits being affected. Just keep those ATM receipts and maybe take a screenshot of your account balance before you leave California, just for your own peace of mind. It's really sweet of you to go help your sister during this time! New babies are exhausting and I'm sure she'll really appreciate having you there.

Yes, your EBT card will work in Arizona! I travel frequently for work and have used mine in multiple states without any issues. The key things to remember are: 1. You're totally fine being out of state for 2 weeks - the 30-day rule gives you plenty of cushion 2. ATM fees will be higher, usually $3-5 per transaction, so withdraw larger amounts less often 3. Keep all your receipts just in case 4. Try to use ATMs at major banks like Bank of America or Wells Fargo for lower fees I'd also suggest withdrawing some cash before you leave California to minimize those out-of-state fees. And don't worry about it affecting your case - short trips to help family are completely normal and allowed. Congratulations on becoming an aunt! Your sister is so lucky to have you coming to help during those first crazy weeks with a newborn. Safe travels!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing! I might need to travel to help my grandma in Texas next month and was worried about accessing my cash aid while I'm there. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - it sounds like the card will work but those ATM fees are definitely something to plan for. The tip about using the EBT website's ATM locator feature is genius! I had no idea that was even available. And it makes total sense to withdraw larger amounts less frequently to avoid getting hit with fees multiple times. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so reassuring to hear from people who've actually done this successfully. Hope you have a wonderful time helping your sister with the new baby! Those first few weeks are so special (and exhausting) so I'm sure she'll really appreciate having you there.

I just want to add that if you're really worried about potential issues, you can also access your case information through the BenefitsCal website while you're in Arizona to check that everything looks normal. I've done this when traveling just for peace of mind - you can log in from anywhere and see your benefit history, case status, etc. Also, some grocery stores in Arizona (like Walmart or Safeway) might let you get cash back when you buy something small with your EBT card, which could be cheaper than ATM fees if you need just a little extra cash. Just make sure to ask first since policies vary by store. Your sister is so lucky to have you coming to help! Those first weeks with a newborn are intense and having family support makes such a huge difference. Enjoy meeting your new niece!

I went through this exact same situation last year when my brother was in the hospital in Nevada for almost 3 weeks. Your EBT card will definitely work in Arizona - I used mine at ATMs there without any problems. The main thing to watch out for is the fees - they were usually around $4-5 per withdrawal at most ATMs I tried. What I ended up doing was taking out larger amounts less frequently to avoid getting hit with those fees multiple times. Also found that ATMs inside major grocery stores like Fry's (which is big in Arizona) sometimes had slightly lower fees than standalone ATMs. Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're totally fine with the residency rules. I was gone for 3 weeks and had no issues with my case at all. Just keep your receipts from any transactions while you're there - I kept mine in an envelope just in case I ever needed to show I was only temporarily out of state. It's so sweet that you're going to help your sister with the new baby! Those first few weeks are exhausting and I'm sure having you there will mean the world to her. Safe travels!

I had this same worry when I visited my dad in New Mexico a few months ago! Your EBT card will definitely work at ATMs in Arizona - the system is connected nationwide so you'll be able to access your cash aid no problem. Just be prepared for higher ATM fees - I ended up paying around $3-5 per withdrawal depending on which bank's ATM I used. My advice is to take out larger amounts less frequently to minimize those fees, or even better, withdraw most of what you'll need before leaving California. Since you're only going for 2 weeks to help with the new baby, you're well under the 30-day limit so there won't be any issues with your CalWORKs case. Just keep your ATM receipts while you're there in case you need them later. One tip I wish I'd known - some grocery stores might let you get cash back when you buy something small, which could be cheaper than using ATMs. Worth asking when you're shopping! How exciting that you're going to be an aunt! Your sister is so lucky to have you coming to help during those first crazy weeks with a newborn. Safe travels!

I just wanted to chime in with my experience since I recently went through something similar! I traveled to Colorado for 10 days to help my cousin after her surgery and was nervous about using my EBT card there. Your card will absolutely work in Arizona - I had zero issues accessing my cash aid while I was in Colorado. The nationwide network is reliable and I never had a transaction declined. The fees were definitely higher though - I paid between $3.50 to $4.75 per withdrawal depending on the ATM. What really helped me was using the GasBuddy app to find cheaper gas stations that also had ATMs, since some of those had lower fees than the big bank ATMs. Since you're only going for 2 weeks, you're totally within the rules and won't have any problems with your case. I'd recommend taking out a good chunk of what you need before you leave California, then maybe doing just one larger withdrawal while you're in Arizona if needed. Keep all your receipts and have a wonderful time helping your sister! New babies are so precious and she's going to really appreciate having you there for support. Congratulations on becoming an aunt!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who responded to this question! I was in a very similar situation a few weeks ago when I needed to travel to Nevada to help my mom after her hip surgery, and I was so worried about accessing my benefits while I was there. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It's amazing how many of us have been in this exact situation - needing to travel to help family while worrying about our CalWORKs benefits. From what I learned from my trip and what everyone has shared here, the key points seem to be: 1. Your EBT card definitely works out of state 2. Be prepared for higher ATM fees ($3-5 per withdrawal) 3. Withdraw larger amounts less frequently to minimize fees 4. Keep all your receipts 5. You're fine as long as it's under 30 days 6. Consider cash back at grocery stores as an alternative to ATMs One thing I'd add is that I found Costco and Sam's Club ATMs (if you have membership) sometimes had lower fees than regular bank ATMs. Also, calling your worker ahead of time really does help avoid any confusion later. It's so heartwarming to see how many people are traveling to help family members - that's what family is for! Hope your trip goes smoothly and congratulations on your new niece!

I just want to add something that might be helpful - if you're planning to be in Arizona for 2 weeks, you might want to look into which banks have reciprocal agreements that could reduce ATM fees. Some credit unions participate in networks like CO-OP or Allpoint that let you use certain ATMs without the usual out-of-network charges. Also, since you'll be helping with a newborn, you might find yourself needing cash at odd hours when banks are closed. It's worth mapping out a few different ATM locations near where you'll be staying so you're not scrambling to find one when you need it, especially with a tired new mom and baby to think about! The fact that you're making this trip to help your sister shows what an amazing support system she has. Those first weeks with a newborn are such a whirlwind, and having someone there who can help with practical things (like knowing where to get cash!) will be invaluable. Wishing you both all the best!