Using CalWORKs Cash Aid EBT card in Oregon - Will it work out of state?
So I just found out my mom is really sick and I need to travel to Oregon for a week to help her. My Cash Aid benefits are supposed to load onto my card tomorrow, but I'm worried about accessing my money while I'm up there. Can I still withdraw my CalWORKs money from ATMs in Oregon? Or will my EBT card only work in California? I've never left the state since being on Cash Aid and I'm kinda stressing about this. The trip is urgent so I can't really wait to ask my worker. Has anyone used their California EBT card in other states before?
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Riya Sharma
ya ur card will work in Oregon no problem. i used mine in Nevada last summer when i went to visit my cousin. u might pay a little extra in ATM fees tho so try to take out what u need all at once
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Nathaniel Stewart
•Thank you!! That's a relief. Do you know if I need to notify my worker that I'll be out of state? Don't want to mess up my benefits.
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Santiago Diaz
Your EBT card will work in any state because it's part of a national network. However, there are two important things you need to know: 1. You should report your temporary absence to your county worker if you'll be gone for more than 30 days. Since you're only going for a week, you don't technically need to report it, but it's good practice to let them know anyway. 2. Be careful about ATM fees when using out-of-network ATMs. Try to use bank ATMs rather than standalone ones in convenience stores, as those typically charge higher fees. And as the previous commenter mentioned, it's better to make one larger withdrawal than multiple small ones. Your eligibility won't be affected for a short trip like this, especially when it's for taking care of a family member.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•This is super helpful information! Thank you so much. I'll definitely look for bank ATMs to avoid those high fees.
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Millie Long
I think u still need 2 report even for a week cuz ur supposed to live in cali to get calworks? my friend went to arizona for 2 weeks and when she came back they cut her off saying she wasnt a state resident anymore and she had to reapply!!
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KaiEsmeralda
•This is incorrect information. CalWORKs rules allow for temporary absences, especially for family emergencies or care of ill family members. The rule is that you need to report absences that last more than 30 days. A one-week trip to help a sick parent absolutely won't affect residency status or eligibility. Your friend's situation sounds unusual - there were likely other factors involved. Perhaps she didn't report income changes, missed an appointment, or there was a misunderstanding about how long she was gone.
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Debra Bai
I've had NOTHING but problems trying to reach my worker about travel issues. Last month I needed to go to my brother's funeral in Arizona and spent THREE DAYS trying to get through on the phone to ask if it was okay. Never got through and had to just go anyway. Try using Claimyr.com if you really want peace of mind before you leave. They got me through to a real person in 10 minutes when I needed to sort out my SAR7 issues last week. They have a video that shows how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE But honestly for just a week trip you should be fine. The EBT card definitely works in other states.
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Nathaniel Stewart
•I'm so sorry about your brother. And yeah, I've been trying to call too with no luck. I'll check out that service, thanks for the tip! I think I'll try to let them know just so it's documented somewhere, but I feel better knowing the card will work out of state.
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Gabriel Freeman
This whole system is SO CONFUSING!! One worker tells you one thing and another tells you something completely different. Last year I went to visit my sister in Washington for 5 days and my worker said I HAD to report it, but now people here are saying under 30 days is fine?? How are we supposed to know what's actually required when the county doesn't even know their own rules!! 😡😡😡
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KaiEsmeralda
•You're right that the inconsistency is frustrating. The official CalWORKs policy is that temporary absences under 30 days don't affect eligibility as long as you maintain California residency (meaning you intend to return). But some workers are more strict or cautious and may advise reporting even short trips. It's always safer to report any absence if you can, but it's not technically required for short trips. The MPP (Manual of Policies and Procedures) Section 42-302 covers residency requirements if anyone wants to look up the exact rules.
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Laura Lopez
my card didnt work in vegas last year just fyi. the machine kept saying error when i tried to get cash. ended up having to borrow money from my cousin
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Santiago Diaz
•That was likely an issue with that specific ATM or a temporary system problem, not a restriction on using your card out of state. EBT cards are designed to work nationwide. Next time that happens, try calling the customer service number on the back of your card - they can tell you if there's a system issue or if your card has been flagged for some reason.
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Nathaniel Stewart
Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that my card worked fine in Oregon! I was able to withdraw money from a Bank of America ATM with just the normal ATM fee. And when I called my worker (finally got through yesterday), she confirmed that trips under 30 days don't need to be reported but said it was good that I let them know anyway. Thanks for all the help!
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Riya Sharma
•awesome! glad it worked out for u. hope ur moms doing better
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Sebastián Stevens
Thanks for sharing that update! Really helpful to know it worked out okay. This thread is going to be super useful for anyone else who has to travel out of state for family emergencies. It's good that you got confirmation from your worker too - having that official word makes all the difference when you're stressed about following the rules correctly.
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Jacob Smithson
•Totally agree! This whole thread is like a mini guide for anyone facing the same situation. It's reassuring to see that the system actually works the way it's supposed to when you need it most. And @Nathaniel Stewart thanks for coming back to update us - not everyone does that but it really helps the community when people share how things turned out!
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StarStrider
This is such valuable information! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now, I've always wondered about travel situations but was too nervous to ask. My grandma lives in Arizona and I've been putting off visiting her because I wasn't sure how the EBT card would work there. It's really reassuring to see that not only does the card work out of state, but that short trips for family reasons are totally allowed. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be pinned or something because I bet lots of people have this same question!
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Isabel Vega
•You should definitely visit your grandma! From everything shared here, it sounds like using your EBT card in Arizona will be no problem at all. Just remember what everyone mentioned about trying to use bank ATMs instead of convenience store ones to avoid those extra fees. And if it's just a regular visit (not an emergency), you might want to give your worker a heads up beforehand just to be safe. Your grandma will probably be so happy to see you!
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Isabella Ferreira
This whole thread is so helpful! I'm new to CalWORKs (just started getting benefits last month) and had no idea the EBT card would work in other states. My sister lives in Nevada and I've been wanting to visit but was worried about not being able to access my cash aid. It's really good to know about the 30-day rule too - that makes so much sense but nobody explained that when I first applied. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, especially @Nathaniel Stewart for the update! Hope your mom is feeling better.
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Alexander Evans
•Welcome to CalWORKs! It can definitely be overwhelming at first with all the rules and regulations they don't always explain clearly. You're right that the EBT card working nationwide is something they should mention during orientation but often don't. Your visit to Nevada should go smoothly - just keep in mind what others mentioned about ATM fees and try to use major bank ATMs when possible. It's great that you're asking questions and learning from everyone's experiences here. That's exactly what this community is for! Hope you get to see your sister soon.
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NebulaNomad
This is such a great thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. I've been on CalWORKs for about 6 months and always wondered about traveling with my EBT card. My dad lives in Texas and I've been wanting to visit him but wasn't sure how the whole out-of-state thing worked. It's really reassuring to see from everyone's experiences that the card works nationwide and that short trips are totally fine. The tip about using bank ATMs instead of convenience store ones is super helpful too - those fees can really add up! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories, and @Nathaniel Stewart I'm glad your trip went smoothly and hope your mom is doing better now.
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Daniel Rivera
•So glad this thread exists! I'm pretty new to CalWORKs too (about 3 months) and had the exact same worries about traveling. My brother is stationed in Washington state with the military and I've been putting off visiting because I thought my EBT card might not work there. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - it sounds like the card really does work everywhere which is amazing. The ATM fee tip is gold too, I never would have thought about that! @Nathaniel Stewart thanks for sharing your whole experience and coming back with an update. That kind of follow-through really helps newcomers like me feel more confident about navigating this system. Hope your mom is recovering well!
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Kingston Bellamy
Wow, this thread has been so educational! I just started receiving CalWORKs benefits about 2 months ago and honestly had no clue the EBT card worked nationwide. My aunt lives in Colorado and I've been hesitant to visit her because I was worried about accessing my cash aid while there. Reading everyone's real experiences here - especially @Nathaniel Stewart coming back with the update that everything worked fine - gives me so much confidence. The advice about using bank ATMs vs convenience store ones is something I definitely wouldn't have known either. It's frustrating that they don't explain these practical details when you first get on benefits, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share their knowledge. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this discussion!
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Lara Woods
•I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you! It's really unfortunate that the practical day-to-day stuff like this isn't covered better during the application process. I've been on CalWORKs for about a year now and I'm still learning new things from discussions like this. Your visit to Colorado should go smoothly based on everyone's experiences here - just remember to stick with bank ATMs to keep those fees down. It's amazing how much we can learn from each other's real-world experiences. Hope you get to see your aunt soon!
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Mateo Martinez
This has been such an informative discussion! I've been on CalWORKs for about 4 months now and had no idea about any of this travel stuff. My mom lives in New Mexico and I've been wanting to visit her but was scared my benefits would get messed up somehow. Reading through everyone's experiences - especially the confirmation that cards work nationwide and the 30-day rule - makes me feel so much more confident about planning a trip. The ATM fee advice is really smart too, I definitely would have just used whatever machine was closest without thinking about the extra charges. It's crazy how much practical stuff like this isn't explained when you first get benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories, and @Nathaniel Stewart I'm really glad everything worked out for you and hope your mom is feeling better!
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