To activate your California EBT card, call EBT Customer Service at 1-877-328-9677, use the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal online, or make a purchase or cash withdrawal with the new chip card at any participating retailer or ATM.1Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. EBT – Food Any of the three counts as activation, and each one walks you through setting or confirming the four-digit PIN you’ll use for every purchase and withdrawal afterward.
Activating by Phone
The phone line is the fastest route for most people. Call 1-877-328-9677 from any phone; the call is free from a California landline, though standard cell charges may apply.2California EBT Project. When to Call the Toll-Free Customer Service Telephone Number Have the card in front of you. The automated system will ask you to:
- Enter the 16-digit card number printed on the front of the card
- Verify your identity, including your date of birth
- Choose a four-digit PIN
Once the system confirms the PIN, the card is live. The whole call usually takes under five minutes.
Activating a Chip Card Online or by First Use
California began replacing older magnetic-stripe cards with chip-enabled (EMV) cards in early 2025, and the new cards give you two extra activation paths beyond the phone line. You can activate through the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal online, or you can simply use the card for a CalFresh purchase or a cash withdrawal at any participating store or ATM.1Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. EBT – Food A successful transaction of any kind counts as activation.3California Department of Social Services. Electronic Benefits Transfer
If your chip card is a replacement rather than your first card, your existing benefits transferred to it automatically and your PIN stayed the same.3California Department of Social Services. Electronic Benefits Transfer You don’t need to pick a new PIN unless you want to.
Choosing a PIN
Pick four digits you can remember but that nobody else would guess. Avoid your birth year, the last four of your Social Security number, or anything printed on documents you carry. Never write the PIN on the card, the card sleeve, or anything stored with the card. If someone gets both your card and your PIN, benefits they spend may not be replaceable.3California Department of Social Services. Electronic Benefits Transfer
Don’t Wait to Activate a Replacement Chip Card
Once your new chip card is issued, the old magnetic-stripe card is scheduled to shut off automatically. Some county guidance places that window at roughly 45 days from issuance.4Employment & Human Services Department. New EBT Card Security and Technology Upgrade If you keep swiping the old card past that point, it will stop working and you’ll temporarily lose access to your benefits until the new card is activated.
If Activation Doesn’t Go Through
A decline during activation almost always means something didn’t match during verification. Recheck the 16-digit card number and your personal details, especially the date of birth. If you started by phone, try the ebtEDGE portal instead, or the other way around. System glitches happen, and waiting an hour before trying again often clears them up.
Forgotten PIN
Call 1-877-328-9677 to reset it. The system can’t tell you your old PIN, but it will walk you through choosing a new one.2California EBT Project. When to Call the Toll-Free Customer Service Telephone Number Your local county welfare office can also help with a PIN change in person.
Card Never Arrived, or Arrived Damaged
Call the same customer service number to freeze the card on file and request a replacement. A new card typically arrives within five to ten days.1Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. EBT – Food Your benefits sit in your account until the replacement gets there and you activate it.