Can I submit DE 2580GF form online for PFL certification or is mail required?

Unfortunately, the DE 2580GF form for PFL continued certification typically needs to be mailed back. The online certification system is mainly for unemployment and disability (SDI), not for PFL continued certifications. I went through this last year with my baby bonding leave and had to mail all my forms. Make sure you make a copy before sending it in case it gets lost!

Same boat! I just had to deal with this last month. The 2580GF HAS to be mailed back. So annoying! I called and asked if I could upload it somewhere and they said no. But def keep a copy - my first one got lost and delayed my payment by 2 weeks!!

The DE 2580GF must be mailed back to the EDD. There's currently no online option specifically for this continued certification form for PFL baby bonding. I recommend sending it via certified mail with tracking so you have proof it was received. Also, send it as soon as possible - they won't process payment until they receive this form, and it can take 7-10 business days to process once they get it. I went through this certification process three times during my 8 weeks of bonding leave.

The EDD system is SUCH A NIGHTMARE!!! I hate how they make everything so complicated! I had to mail in my DE 2580GF forms for my twins last year and one of them literally disappeared into thin air!!! Called EDD for 3 DAYS STRAIGHT and got disconnected EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! My payments were delayed by 3 weeks and I almost couldn't pay rent. This system is DESIGNED to make people give up!!!

I had to do this form just last month! Make sure u fill out all the boxes and sign it - they are super strict about it. And yeah its mail only. Kinda weird since everything else can be done online but not this form 🤷‍♀️ Better mail it fast so u dont have payment delays

I went through this in January 2025. There's currently no online option for the DE 2580GF form - it must be mailed back to the EDD office listed on your form. If you're concerned about mail delays, I'd recommend using Claimyr's service (claimyr.com) to connect with an EDD representative directly to confirm they received your form once you've mailed it. They got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes when I was panicking about my form being received. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5. They helped me confirm my form was in the system before it showed up in my online account.

my baby is 5 months now but when i was on leave i remember having to mail all those forms in. so annoying! especially with a newborn at home lol. i think they said something about moving everything online eventually but who knows when that will actually happen

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I went ahead and mailed the form yesterday with tracking like suggested. I also made a photocopy just in case it gets lost. I guess I'll just have to deal with the outdated system for now. Fingers crossed there are no payment delays!

I'm a new parent dealing with this same situation right now! Just wanted to add that when you mail it back, make sure you use the correct mailing address that's printed on YOUR specific form - I've heard some people accidentally used an old address they found online and it caused major delays. Also, if you're really worried about timing, you might want to call the EDD customer service line a few days after mailing to confirm they received it, though I know getting through can be a nightmare. Good luck with your bonding leave - enjoy this special time with your little one despite the bureaucratic headaches!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now with my 3-month-old! Just mailed my DE 2580GF form yesterday and feeling anxious about potential delays. One thing I learned from calling EDD (after being on hold for 2 hours) is that they actually process these forms faster than the regular mail time suggests - usually within 3-5 business days once they receive it. The rep told me that as long as you mail it within the deadline on the form, you shouldn't have any payment gaps. Still nerve-wracking though! I also discovered that if you have the EDD online portal, sometimes the status updates there before you actually receive the payment, so keep checking that. Hope this helps ease some worry for other parents dealing with this outdated system!

I'm also navigating PFL for my newborn and just wanted to share a tip I learned from my experience - if you're really concerned about mail delays, you can also send it via Priority Mail Express with signature confirmation. It costs more but guarantees 1-2 day delivery and you get confirmation when it's delivered to the EDD office. I did this for my second certification form after my first one took forever to get processed. Also, make sure to write your SSN clearly on the form - I've heard they sometimes have trouble reading handwriting and it can cause processing delays. The whole system is definitely frustrating when you're already dealing with sleep deprivation and caring for a baby, but at least knowing others have gotten through it successfully helps!

I'm currently on PFL for my 6-week-old son and just went through this exact same process! Unfortunately, the DE 2580GF form absolutely has to be mailed - there's no online option despite what some people think they remember. I learned this the hard way after spending an hour on the EDD website trying to find an electronic submission option that doesn't exist. What helped me was calling my local post office and asking about their most reliable mail service - they recommended Priority Mail with tracking, which only cost a few extra dollars but gave me peace of mind. I also took a high-quality photo of the completed form with my phone before mailing it, just in case I needed to reference it later. The form arrived at EDD in 2 days and was processed within a week, so my payment wasn't delayed. One more tip - double-check that you've filled in EVERY field, including the tiny date boxes, because they're really strict about incomplete forms and will send it back if anything is missing!

I'm also dealing with this right now for my 8-week-old! Just wanted to add that if you're really worried about the form getting lost in the mail, you can also drop it off in person at your local EDD office if you have one nearby. I called my local office and they confirmed they accept hand-delivered forms at the front desk. Obviously not convenient with a newborn, but it's an option if you're really concerned about mail delays. I ended up mailing mine with certified mail and it worked out fine - took about 5 days to process once they got it. The whole system definitely feels outdated when everything else in our lives is digital, but at least we're all getting through it! Hang in there fellow new parents!

I'm currently on PFL for my 5-week-old and just had to deal with this form last week! Can confirm it absolutely has to be mailed - no online option exists despite how confusing the EDD website makes it seem. I was so frustrated because literally everything else I do is online these days! What worked for me was using Priority Mail with tracking ($8.95) and taking a clear photo of every page before sealing the envelope. The form reached EDD in 2 days and showed up as "received" in my online account after about 4 business days. My payment came through without any delays. Pro tip: use a black pen and write extra clearly - I've heard they sometimes have trouble reading blue ink or messy handwriting when they scan these forms. Also make sure you sign it with your full legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. The whole process is definitely antiquated but at least it's manageable if you plan ahead!

I'm also navigating PFL right now with my 10-week-old and wanted to share something that might help ease everyone's anxiety about this process! I just got off the phone with EDD (miracle, I know!) and the rep told me that they've actually streamlined their mail processing for PFL forms recently. She said they're now scanning and processing DE 2580GF forms within 2-3 business days of receipt, which is much faster than it used to be. She also mentioned that if you're really worried about timing, you can call the customer service line about 5-7 days after mailing to verify they received your form - just have your tracking number ready. I know getting through to them is still a nightmare, but it's reassuring to know the actual processing time has improved. I mailed mine yesterday with Priority Mail and feeling much more confident after that conversation. Hang in there everyone - we're all figuring this out together!

I'm currently going through this exact same process with my 3-month-old! Just wanted to add my experience since I literally just dealt with this last week. The DE 2580GF form definitely has to be mailed - I spent way too much time searching for an online option that doesn't exist. What really helped me was calling ahead to confirm the correct mailing address on my specific form, since I read that some people had issues with outdated addresses. I used USPS Priority Mail Express with signature confirmation (about $28 but worth every penny for the peace of mind) and it was delivered the next day. The form showed as "received" in my EDD online portal within 3 business days, and my payment processed without any delays. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure to fill out the form in a well-lit area because some of those fields are tiny and easy to miss when you're sleep-deprived! Also, I recommend setting a phone reminder to check your online account a few days after mailing, as that's often where you'll see the status update first. This whole antiquated system is so frustrating when you're already overwhelmed as a new parent, but it's definitely manageable with the right preparation!

I'm also dealing with this right now for my 7-week-old! Just wanted to chime in with my recent experience since I submitted my DE 2580GF form about 10 days ago. Unfortunately, like everyone else has confirmed, there's absolutely no online option - it has to be mailed. I was really hoping there would be some digital workaround too, especially since the regular weekly certifications can be done online, but this specific continued certification form is stuck in the mail-only system. I ended up using Priority Mail with tracking and it worked out fine - the form was delivered in 2 days and processed within a week. My advice would be to mail it ASAP since they won't process your next payment until they receive it. Also, I made copies of everything and took photos with my phone as backup documentation. The whole system really needs to be modernized, but at least we can get through it! Hope your experience goes smoothly and congrats on your little one!

I'm currently on PFL for my 9-week-old and just wanted to add something that might help other parents - if you're really concerned about mail timing, you can actually call your local post office and ask about their "Informed Delivery" service (it's free!). This service sends you email notifications with images of mail that's being delivered to your address, so you'll know exactly when EDD sends you forms and can plan accordingly. I signed up for it during my leave and it's been super helpful for tracking all the PFL-related mail. Also, when you do mail back your DE 2580GF, I'd recommend taking a photo of the tracking receipt and keeping it with your other PFL documents - I created a simple folder on my phone for all this stuff since pregnancy brain is real! The whole paper-based system is definitely frustrating when everything else is digital, but at least we can use modern tools to make it a bit more manageable. Hope this helps fellow sleep-deprived parents navigate this bureaucratic maze!

I'm going through this exact same situation with my 6-week-old! Just wanted to share what I learned after calling EDD yesterday (somehow got through in only 45 minutes!). The rep confirmed that the DE 2580GF form absolutely must be mailed - there's no online submission option despite how confusing their website makes it seem. She also mentioned that they're processing these forms much faster now, typically within 3-4 business days of receipt. I ended up mailing mine yesterday using Priority Mail with tracking for about $9, and I made sure to take clear photos of every page before sending. One tip the rep gave me - if you're worried about processing delays, you can actually check your EDD online account portal starting about 5 days after mailing, as the status often updates there before you receive any payment notification. It's so frustrating that we have to deal with this antiquated paper system when we're already sleep-deprived and caring for newborns, but at least hearing from other parents who've successfully navigated it makes it feel less overwhelming. Hang in there and enjoy those precious bonding moments with your little one despite the bureaucratic headaches!

I'm also navigating PFL with my 4-week-old and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add that I called my local EDD office directly (not the main customer service line) and they were much easier to reach. The local office confirmed they accept hand-delivered forms if you really don't trust the mail, and they also told me something interesting - they actually recommend using the pre-paid envelope that comes with the DE 2580GF form if you received one, as it goes directly to their processing center and can be faster than regular mail to their PO Box. I hadn't noticed the envelope at first because I was so focused on the form itself! For anyone still waiting to receive their form, the rep mentioned they're currently seeing about 7-10 days from when they mail it to when people receive it, so don't panic if it hasn't arrived yet. I'm planning to use the pre-paid envelope tomorrow and will update if there are any issues. This whole system definitely needs to be modernized, but it's so comforting to see all these recent success stories from other new parents!