How long after EDD SDI claim approval does debit card arrive? Approved 10/14/25 but still waiting

The EDD debit card usually takes 7-10 business days to arrive after your claim is approved. Since your approval was on 10/14, you should receive it by the end of this week or early next week at the latest. Keep checking your EDD SDI Online account for any payment updates - sometimes you'll see the payment posted there before you actually get the card.

If you had an EDD debit card from a previous claim (UI, SDI, or PFL) within the last 3 years, they won't send you a new card - they'll just load the funds onto your existing card. Did you have any prior claims? If that card is expired or lost, you'll need to contact Bank of America EDD card services directly at 1-866-692-9374 to request a replacement.

Mine took FOREVER to come!!! Like almost 3 weeks after approval. EDD is sooooo slow w/ everything. I was going crazy waiting for it. Calling them is useless, the wait times are ridiculous. Just hang tight, it'll show up eventually.

I just went through this same situation last month! My claim was approved on 9/17 and I didn't receive my card until 10/1. What was frustrating is that the payment was issued like 3 days after approval according to my account, but I couldn't access it without the card. When I called EDD, I kept hitting the stupid automated system that just disconnects you. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in about 10 minutes. They confirmed my card was mailed and gave me the exact date. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd. It was seriously the only way I could get any information.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I had to wait 23 days for my card after approval. Then when it FINALLY came the activation number ON THE CARD didn't even work!!! Had to spend 2 more days figuring out how to activate it. EDD doesn't care that people have bills to pay while they take their sweet time processing everything. They approve your claim then make you wait forever to actually get your money. The whole thing is designed to make people give up.

One important thing to note - if you need the money urgently before your card arrives, once you see that payments have been issued in your SDI Online account, you can call Bank of America EDD card services and request an emergency cash transfer. They can transfer your funds to another bank account, but you'll need to verify your identity and there may be a small fee. This is helpful if you're in a bind waiting for the card.

To answer your follow-up question - payments are typically issued 1-3 business days after claim approval, depending on your certification period. Since your claim was approved 10/14, the payment may have already been issued but just not showing in your account yet. The system updates overnight, so keep checking. As for your old unemployment card - definitely call Bank of America EDD card services right away. If your claim is using your old card, they may need to send you a replacement before you can access funds.

my brother got disability and his card came in like 5 days so idk why everyones saying weeks. maybe depends what county ur in?

I had a baby in August and went on disability. My experience: claim approved Aug 21, payment issued Aug 23, card arrived Sept 2. So it took about 10 days from approval to get the card. But what I learned is that the payment processing and card shipping are two separate things. You should call the BofA EDD number (not regular BofA) to check if your payment has been issued and if your card has been mailed. That's the best way to know what's happening.

Just wanted to add that if you're really in a bind waiting for your card, some food banks and emergency assistance programs can help with groceries or utility bills while you wait for your disability payments. I know it's frustrating when you're approved but can't access the money yet. Also, make sure your address is correct in your EDD account - I've seen cases where cards were delayed because they were sent to an old address. You can update your address through SDI Online if needed.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My claim was approved on 10/20 and I'm still waiting for my card too. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and nerve-wracking - sounds like the timeline can really vary. I didn't realize they might reuse old cards from previous claims either. I had a PFL card in 2022 that I definitely don't have anymore. Going to call Bank of America EDD services tomorrow to see if that's what's happening with mine. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this frustrating wait!

Hey everyone! I just wanted to share what worked for me when I was in a similar situation. I had my SDI claim approved back in September and was also waiting forever for my card. What I discovered is that you can actually check the status of your card shipment by calling Bank of America EDD card services at 1-866-692-9374 and selecting the option for "card status" - they can tell you the exact date your card was mailed and give you a tracking number if it's available. Also, if you're really in a pinch for money while waiting, some local 211 services (just dial 2-1-1) can connect you with emergency assistance programs that might help with rent or utilities until your card arrives. I know it's super stressful when you're approved but can't access your money yet - hang in there!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My SDI claim was approved on 10/16 and I'm still waiting for my card too. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening - I had no idea about the old card reuse thing or that Bank of America EDD has separate customer service. I think I might have had an unemployment card back in 2022 but honestly can't remember what happened to it. Definitely calling BofA EDD tomorrow morning to check if that's what's causing the delay. It's so frustrating being approved but not being able to access the money when you really need it. Thank you all for sharing your timelines and tips - it's helpful to know I'm not alone in dealing with this confusing process!

I work at a disability advocacy center and see this issue frequently. One thing many people don't know is that you can actually set up direct deposit for future SDI payments even while waiting for your initial card. Log into your SDI Online account and look for the "Payment Method" or "Direct Deposit" section. You'll need to provide your bank account and routing numbers, and it takes 1-2 weeks to process, but it can save you from this card waiting game for future payments. Also, if you're facing immediate financial hardship, document everything - approval dates, when you called, etc. Some utility companies and landlords will accept proof of approved benefits and work with you on payment delays if you can show documentation from your SDI Online account.

I went through this same frustrating wait last year! My SDI claim was approved on a Thursday and I didn't get my card until almost 3 weeks later. What made it worse was that I could see in my SDI Online account that the payment had been issued after just 2 days, but I couldn't access it without the physical card. One thing that helped me was creating a timeline in a notebook - writing down approval date, when I called, what they told me, etc. It helped me stay organized and gave me something concrete to reference when I finally got through to someone. Also, if you're really strapped for cash while waiting, check if your local churches or community centers have emergency food assistance - many don't require you to be a member and can help bridge the gap. The waiting is awful but the money will come through eventually. Hang in there!

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! My SDI claim was approved on 8/22 and I was also panicking about rent while waiting for the card. Here's what I learned: First, definitely call Bank of America EDD card services at 1-866-692-9374 ASAP - they can tell you if your payment was loaded onto an old card from a previous claim (which is super common and sounds like what happened to you based on your 2023 unemployment). Second, once you see a payment issued in your SDI Online account, you can request an emergency transfer to your regular bank account through BofA for a small fee if you're in a real bind. And finally, keep checking your SDI account daily because sometimes the payment status updates overnight. The whole process is frustrating but you're definitely not alone - most of us have been through this stressful waiting period. Your money is coming, just hang in there!

I'm currently dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My claim was approved about a week ago and I was starting to panic about the timeline. Reading everyone's experiences shows there's such a wide range - some getting cards in 5 days, others waiting 3+ weeks. The tip about old cards being reused is something I wish EDD made clearer upfront. I had a UI claim in early 2023 and definitely don't have that card anymore, so I'm probably in the same boat as you. Planning to call Bank of America EDD services tomorrow to check if my payment went to that old card. It's frustrating that we have to become detective to figure out their system, but at least this community helps fill in the gaps. Hope your replacement card arrives soon!

I'm new to this community but currently going through the exact same thing! My SDI claim was approved on 10/18 and I'm also still waiting for my card. Reading through all these responses has been both reassuring and nerve-wracking - it's helpful to know I'm not alone but scary to see some people waited 3+ weeks. I think I might have had an old EDD card from a previous claim too, so I'm definitely going to call Bank of America EDD services tomorrow morning like everyone suggested. The tip about being able to set up direct deposit for future payments is something I wish I'd known earlier. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines - this thread is way more helpful than anything I could find on the official EDD website!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My claim was approved on 10/19 and I'm also still waiting for my card. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the old card reuse policy either. I'm pretty sure I had a PFL card in 2022 that I definitely threw away when it expired. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm calling Bank of America EDD first thing tomorrow morning to see if my payment got loaded onto that old card. It's so frustrating that EDD doesn't explain this process clearly - like why isn't there a notice that says "if you had a previous EDD card, we'll use that instead of sending a new one"? Anyway, thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines. This community is way more helpful than trying to navigate EDD's confusing website or their impossible phone system!

I just went through this same frustrating experience! My SDI claim was approved on 9/28 and I waited almost 2 weeks for my card to arrive. What I learned from calling Bank of America EDD (1-866-692-9374) is that they can actually tell you the exact status - whether your payment has been issued, if it went to an old card, and when your new/replacement card was mailed. The key thing is to call BofA directly, not EDD, since they handle all the card logistics. Also, make sure to check your SDI Online account daily because sometimes the payment status updates overnight even if you don't see it right away. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking when you have bills due, but the money will come through. Hang in there and definitely call BofA tomorrow morning - they'll give you way better information than trying to get through to EDD's phone system!

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My claim was approved on 10/21 and I'm also still waiting for my card. This entire thread has been a lifesaver - I had absolutely no clue about the old card reuse policy until reading through everyone's experiences here. I'm pretty sure I had an unemployment card back in early 2023 that I definitely don't have anymore, so based on what everyone's saying, my disability payment probably got loaded onto that old card. I'm calling Bank of America EDD services tomorrow morning at 1-866-692-9374 like everyone recommended. It's honestly ridiculous that EDD doesn't explain any of this upfront - we shouldn't have to crowdsource information just to figure out where our approved benefits went! Thank you to everyone who shared their timelines and tips. This community is providing way better customer service than EDD itself. I'll update once I figure out what's going on with my payment!