How long for CalWORKs Cash Aid to load onto EBT card after approval? + PIN change question

Congrats on your approval! It typically takes 3-5 business days for your cash aid to load onto your EBT card after approval. So if you were approved yesterday, you should have it by early next week at the latest. Sometimes it happens faster though. For your PIN reset, you don't need to call the county. There's a separate EBT customer service number: 1-877-328-9677. You'll need your card number and some identifying info, but it's pretty quick. They can reset your PIN over the phone, and it's a 24/7 line so you can call anytime.

Mine took 2 days bt my friend had to wait almost a week. Depends on ur county I think. For pin just call the # on back of ur card its way faster than calling the workers

I don't mean to scare you, but when I first got approved back in October, it took them over 2 WEEKS to load my cash onto my card! I called every single day and got different answers each time. One worker told me 3 days, another said 7-10 business days. When I called to check my balance, it kept saying $0. Finally I had to go physically INTO the office and talk to someone face to face. Turns out they had some "system issue" with my case that nobody bothered to tell me about! They fixed it on the spot and I had my money the next day. If you don't see your cash by day 5, DO NOT wait. Go in person if you can!!! The phone system is USELESS.

When I got approved for Cash Aid last year my worker said 3 days but it took 6 calendar days (4 business days). I think it depends on when they actually process it in the system vs when they tell you you're approved. For the PIN, I've used the EBT Mobile app to change mine before. It's actually easier than calling. You download it, create an account with your card number, and you can change your PIN right there. The app also lets you check your balance without calling that annoying automated line.

If you're worried about the timing, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to a live person at the county. I was in a similar situation waiting for my benefits to load, and after days of constant busy signals and disconnections, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real worker in less than 20 minutes. They were able to check exactly when my payment was scheduled to post and even expedite it because of my rent situation. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE that shows how it works. Seriously saved me from getting an eviction notice.

you dont say if this ur 1st time getting cash aid or if ur just starting again after being off it. if its ur very 1st time sometimes it takes longer cuz they gotta mail u a new card first. but if u already got the card from before (sounds like u do) then usually 3 days but weekends dont count.

One important thing to keep in mind - if you're using the same EBT card that you had for CalFresh, make sure you're checking the CASH balance and not just the FOOD balance when you call the automated line or use the app. They're separate accounts on the same card, and sometimes people only check their food balance and think their cash hasn't been deposited. When you check your balance, it should tell you both amounts separately. Also, if you end up needing to use your cash benefits before they post to your card, ask your worker about getting an immediate needs payment. If you're at risk of eviction, they can sometimes issue an emergency payment.

Just wanted to add that in my experience, the timing can also depend on what day of the week you get approved. I was approved on a Thursday and got my cash the following Tuesday (so 5 calendar days but only 3 business days). But my sister got approved on a Monday and had her money by Wednesday. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through the EBT mobile app - you get notified as soon as any transaction hits your account, including deposits. That way you don't have to keep calling to check your balance. Also, if you do end up having to go into the office like Isabella mentioned, try to go first thing in the morning. The lines get crazy long later in the day and you might not even get seen.

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The waiting is honestly the worst part, especially when you have bills due. In my case, I was approved on a Wednesday and the cash showed up on my card Saturday morning - so 3 days total. One thing that really helped me was calling the EBT customer service line (the number on the back of your card) every morning around 6 AM to check my balance. The automated system is way less busy early in the morning, and you get through faster. Plus deposits often post overnight, so you'll know right away if it's there. Since your rent is due soon, I'd also suggest reaching out to your landlord now to give them a heads up about the slight delay. Most landlords are understanding if you communicate early rather than waiting until the last minute. Good luck - you've got this!

I just went through this process last month and wanted to share my experience! I was approved on a Friday and the cash showed up on Tuesday morning - so it was 4 calendar days but only 2 business days since the weekend didn't count. One thing I learned is that different counties seem to have different processing speeds. I'm in Sacramento County and they seem pretty quick, but I've heard LA County can take longer due to volume. For the PIN reset, definitely use the number on the back of your card rather than calling your caseworker. I made that mistake initially and wasted hours. The EBT customer service line reset my PIN in about 5 minutes once I got through. Also, pro tip: if you have a smartphone, download the "ebtEDGE" app (it's the official California EBT app). You can check both your SNAP food balance AND your cash aid balance, plus set up alerts for when deposits hit your account. It's way more convenient than calling the automated line every day. Since you mentioned rent being due next week, you might also want to ask your caseworker about the timing when you talk to them next. Sometimes they can give you a more specific timeframe based on when they actually submitted your case for payment processing.

Hey Olivia! I just went through this same situation a few weeks ago and totally understand the anxiety about timing. I was approved on a Tuesday and got my cash aid loaded on Friday - exactly 3 business days. One thing that really helped me was calling the EBT line (1-877-328-9677) first thing in the morning around 7 AM to check my balance. The system is way less busy then and you get through the automated prompts much faster. Benefits usually post overnight, so if it's going to be there, you'll see it early in the morning. For your PIN situation, that same EBT customer service line can reset it for you in just a few minutes. You'll need your card number and either your SSN or date of birth for verification. Way easier than dealing with county phone systems! Since your rent is due soon, I'd also suggest being proactive with your landlord - let them know you're expecting the payment within the next few days. Most are understanding if you communicate early rather than scrambling at the last minute. You've got this! The approval is the hard part - now it's just waiting for the system to process it.

Congratulations on getting approved! I know that process can be really stressful. From my experience, it usually takes about 3-5 business days for cash aid to load onto your EBT card after approval, but it can vary by county. Since you were approved yesterday (which sounds like it was a Thursday), I'd expect to see it by early next week - probably Monday or Tuesday. For your PIN issue, definitely call the EBT customer service number at 1-877-328-9677 rather than trying to go through your county office. They can reset your PIN quickly over the phone with just your card number and some basic info to verify your identity. The county workers usually just tell you to call that number anyway for PIN issues. Given that your rent is due soon, I'd recommend checking your balance first thing Monday morning by calling the automated line. If you don't see the cash by Tuesday, definitely follow up with your caseworker or consider going to the office in person if possible. Sometimes there can be processing delays that need to be resolved manually. Hope this helps and that your benefits come through quickly! The waiting period after approval is always nerve-wracking, especially when you have bills due.

I just went through this exact same situation about 3 weeks ago! I was approved on a Thursday afternoon and my cash aid showed up on the following Monday morning - so it was 4 calendar days but only 1 business day since it was over the weekend. For the PIN reset, I had the same problem and the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) was super quick. They reset it in literally 3 minutes once I got through. Just have your card number ready and they'll ask for your SSN to verify. One thing I wish someone had told me - if you're really stressed about the timing, you can actually ask your caseworker about an "Immediate Need" payment if you're facing eviction. They can sometimes issue emergency funds that post within 1-2 days instead of the usual 3-5. Since your rent is due next week, it might be worth asking about if your regular payment doesn't come through by Monday. Also download the ebtEDGE app if you haven't already - you can set up push notifications so you'll know the second your cash posts to your account. Way better than calling that automated line constantly! Good luck - the hardest part is behind you now that you're approved.

I went through this same waiting period just a couple months ago and totally feel your stress about the timing! In my experience with Orange County, I was approved on a Wednesday and saw the cash hit my EBT card on Saturday morning - so 3 days total. For the PIN reset, definitely use the number on the back of your card (1-877-328-9677) like others mentioned. I was able to reset mine in under 5 minutes once I got through. Way faster than trying to reach your caseworker. One thing I'd add is to make sure you're checking the right balance when you call. Since you mentioned having CalFresh before, your card will show both food stamps and cash aid as separate amounts. When you call the automated line, listen for the "cash benefits" balance specifically, not just the food stamp balance. Also, if you're really worried about making rent on time, consider asking your caseworker about expedited processing when you talk to them next. Sometimes they can flag urgent cases for faster processing, especially if you're facing eviction. The approval is definitely the hardest part though - you're almost there!

I just went through this same situation last month and wanted to share what worked for me! I was approved on a Friday and my cash aid loaded the following Tuesday morning - 4 calendar days but only 2 business days. Since you mentioned being in a time crunch with rent, here's what I'd recommend: First, call the EBT line at 1-877-328-9677 every morning around 6-7 AM to check your balance. The system is way less busy early in the morning and deposits usually post overnight. Second, make sure you're checking your CASH balance specifically, not just your food stamp balance since they're separate on the same card. If you don't see anything by Monday or Tuesday, definitely call your caseworker and ask about an "Immediate Need" payment - I didn't know this was an option until someone told me, but they can sometimes expedite payments for people facing eviction or other urgent situations. For your PIN, that same EBT customer service number can reset it in just a few minutes with your card number and SSN for verification. Way faster than dealing with county phone systems! The ebtEDGE mobile app is also a lifesaver - you can set up notifications so you'll know the instant your cash hits your account instead of calling constantly. Hang in there - getting approved is the hardest part and you're almost at the finish line!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago in San Diego County! I was approved on a Thursday (just like you) and my cash aid showed up on Monday morning - so 4 calendar days but only 1 business day since it was over the weekend. A few things that really helped me during the waiting period: First, I called the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) every morning at 6 AM sharp to check my balance. The automated system is so much faster early in the morning, and since deposits typically post overnight, you'll know right away if it's there. Second, make sure you ask for your CASH balance specifically when you call - since you had CalFresh before, your food and cash benefits will show as separate amounts on the same card. For your PIN reset, that same EBT number can help you in about 5 minutes once you get through. Just have your card number and SSN ready for verification. Since rent is due soon and you're cutting it close, I'd also recommend asking your caseworker about "Immediate Need" processing if you don't see the money by Monday. They can sometimes expedite urgent cases, especially when someone is facing potential eviction. The ebtEDGE app is also a game-changer - set up push notifications so you'll know instantly when your cash posts instead of obsessively calling! You've got this - approval was definitely the hardest part and you're almost there!

I just went through this same process about 2 months ago in Riverside County! I was approved on a Thursday afternoon and my cash aid loaded on the following Monday morning - so 4 calendar days total but only 1 business day since it was over the weekend. For your PIN reset, definitely call the EBT customer service line at 1-877-328-9677 instead of trying to reach your caseworker. I was able to reset mine in under 10 minutes once I got through to a representative. Just have your card number and SSN ready for verification. One thing I learned is to call early in the morning (around 6-7 AM) to check your balance - the automated system is much less busy then and you'll get through faster. Also make sure you're listening for your CASH balance specifically since you mentioned having CalFresh before - they'll be separate amounts on the same card. If you don't see the money by Tuesday, I'd definitely call your caseworker and ask about expedited processing since your rent is due. Sometimes they can flag urgent cases for faster payment, especially if you're at risk of eviction. The ebtEDGE app is also really helpful - you can set up notifications so you'll know immediately when the deposit hits your account instead of calling constantly. Hang in there! Getting approved is definitely the hardest part and you're so close to having that financial relief. Most people seem to get their cash within 3-5 business days, so you should be good by early next week.

Congratulations on your approval! I went through this same situation about 4 months ago in Fresno County. I was approved on a Wednesday and saw my cash aid load on Friday morning - so just 2 business days. The timing can definitely vary by county and how busy they are, but 3-5 business days seems to be the norm from what I've experienced and heard from others. Since you were approved yesterday (Thursday), I'd expect to see it by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. For your PIN reset, absolutely use the EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) instead of trying to reach your county worker. I had the same issue and they reset my PIN in literally 2 minutes once I got through. Way better than navigating county phone systems! One tip that really helped me - download the ebtEDGE app and set up balance alerts. That way you'll get notified the moment your cash posts instead of having to call constantly to check. Also, when you do call to check your balance, make sure you're listening for the CASH balance specifically since your food stamps and cash aid are separate amounts on the same card. Since your rent is due soon, you might want to give your landlord a heads up about the slight delay. Most are understanding if you communicate proactively rather than waiting until the last minute. Good luck - the hardest part is definitely behind you now that you're approved!