Can't withdraw over $1000 from EBT card for rent - emergency help needed!
I'm freaking out right now because my rent is due TODAY and I just realized I can't get enough cash off my EBT card. I had to get a new card this morning (lost my old one) but when I tried to withdraw my rent money, the ATM only let me take out $500! I need over $1000 total for rent. I've never had this problem before with my CalWORKs cash aid. Does anyone know if there's a daily withdrawal limit on new EBT cards? Can I go to multiple ATMs? I've already called the EBT customer service line but was on hold forever and had to hang up. My landlord is super strict about late payments and I'm scared of getting evicted if I can't pay the full amount today. Please help!!
19 comments
Gavin King
Yeah there's definitely a daily ATM withdrawal limit on EBT cards. I think it's like $500 per day at most ATMs. Try going inside an actual bank that accepts EBT cards and ask for a cash advance - sometimes you can get more that way. Or you might have to just take out $500 today and $500 tomorrow and explain to your landlord. Most EBT cards have a total monthly cash withdrawal limit too, so be careful not to hit that.
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Mohammed Khan
•Seriously?? Nobody told me about this limit when I got my replacement card! Do you know which banks let you do cash advances with EBT? I'm willing to try anything at this point.
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Nathan Kim
You can actually get cash back at most grocery stores when making a small purchase with your EBT card. The limit is usually higher than ATMs - I've gotten $300 cash back at Walmart before. So you could do a couple of small purchases at different stores to get more cash. Also, have you tried calling your CalWORKs worker directly? They might be able to help with emergency housing assistance if you explain the situation.
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Mohammed Khan
•I didn't know about the cash back option at stores! That's a great idea. I've been trying to reach my worker all day but keep getting the voicemail. I'll try the store method first and then keep calling my worker.
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Eleanor Foster
i had this EXACT same problem last month!!! its so stupid how they dont tell u about these limits when u get a new card. i had to take out money over 3 days to pay my rent and got charged a late fee. its BS how they make everything so hard for us. my landlord was MAD
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Mohammed Khan
•I'm so sorry that happened to you! Did your landlord eventually accept the payment? I'm worried mine won't understand and will start eviction proceedings right away.
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Lucas Turner
I had this problem before and what worked for me was using Claimyr.com to actually get through to my CalWORKs worker. They got me on the phone with my worker in like 20 minutes when I was trying for days on my own. My worker was able to note in my file that I needed an emergency extension for rent. You can see how it works in their video demo here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - totally worth it when you're in an emergency situation like this.
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Kai Rivera
•does that actually work? i've never been able to get through to my worker when i really need them lol
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Lucas Turner
•Yeah it does! I was skeptical too but it saved me when I had a similar emergency. They connect you directly to a real person at the county office.
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Anna Stewart
There are a few important things to know about EBT cash withdrawal limits: 1. Daily ATM limit is typically $500 2. Cash back at stores varies (usually $200-300 per transaction) 3. Monthly withdrawal limits vary by county 4. There's usually a fee for ATM withdrawals after the first few each month Your best options are: - Get cash back from multiple store purchases - Ask your landlord for a 1-2 day extension with proof of your benefits - Contact your county office and ask about emergency assistance - If you're facing eviction, you may qualify for CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Also, for future reference, you can set up direct deposit of your Cash Aid to a bank account instead of the EBT card, which eliminates these withdrawal limits.
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Mohammed Khan
•Thank you for all this information! I had no idea about the direct deposit option - definitely going to look into that for next month. I'll try the store cash back method first and then see if my landlord will give me an extra day.
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Layla Sanders
I'm a property manager and just want to say most landlords will accept partial payment if you communicate the situation BEFORE the due date and show proof that you'll have the rest within a day or two. Don't just not pay - call them and explain what happened with the EBT card. Get it in writing if they agree to give you an extra day. Also save receipts from your withdrawal attempts in case you need to prove you tried to get the money on time.
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Mohammed Khan
•That's so helpful to hear from a landlord's perspective. I'll definitely call mine right away and explain rather than just showing up with partial payment. Thank you!
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Kai Rivera
just wondering did u try going to a check cashing place? sometimes they can do cash advances on EBT but they charge like crazy fees tho
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Mohammed Khan
•I hadn't thought of that. But you're right, those fees are probably really high. I think I'll try the grocery store cash back option first since it should have lower fees.
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Gavin King
Just an update - my cousin said she just got a letter from CalWORKs saying they're increasing the daily withdrawal limits in May 2025. Too late for your current situation but good to know for the future!
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Mohammed Khan
•That's good to hear! At least they're finally addressing the issue. Thanks for the update.
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Mohammed Khan
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for your help! I was able to get $300 cash back at Walmart, $200 at Target, and $500 from an ATM. My landlord agreed to give me until tomorrow for the last bit after I showed him my CalWORKs approval letter and explained the situation. I'm definitely setting up direct deposit for next month so I don't have to deal with this again! I also got through to my worker using that Claimyr service someone recommended and they were super helpful explaining all my options. Thanks again everyone!!
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Anna Stewart
•Glad it worked out! And yes, direct deposit is definitely the way to go to avoid these kinds of issues in the future. You might also want to ask your worker about the Housing Support Program (HSP) if you're having trouble with rent regularly - it's part of CalWORKs and can provide additional assistance.
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