How to Activate Your Connecticut EBT Card and PIN

To activate your Connecticut EBT card, call 1-888-328-2666, the number printed on the back of the card, and follow the automated prompts to set a four-digit PIN. The line is open 24 hours a day, and the whole process takes just a few minutes. Once your PIN is confirmed, the card works at any authorized SNAP retailer.¹

What to Have Ready Before You Call

Have the physical card in front of you. On the front is an 18-digit card number you’ll key in during the call. You’ll also need the cardholder’s date of birth entered as MMDDYYYY, with no slashes or dashes. October 3, 1998 becomes 10031998.

Have the last four digits of the cardholder’s Social Security Number ready too. If the cardholder doesn’t have an SSN, enter four zeroes (0000) when the system asks.¹

Decide on your PIN before you dial. The system will ask you to enter your four digits and then enter them again to confirm, so pick something you can remember without writing it down. Skip obvious combinations like your birth year or 1234. Never write the PIN on the card, and don’t share it with anyone.

The Activation Call, Step by Step

Dial 1-888-328-2666. The line runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.² Once you’re connected:

Press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish.
Enter the 18-digit card number from the front of the card.
Enter the cardholder’s date of birth in MMDDYYYY format.
Enter the last four digits of the cardholder’s SSN, or 0000 if there isn’t one.
Choose your four-digit PIN and enter it twice to confirm.

When the system confirms the PIN, the card is active and ready to use anywhere that accepts EBT.¹

Confirm Your Benefits Are Loaded

Before your first trip to the store, check that your balance is what you expect. Connecticut gives you three ways:

Log in to MyAccount online at www.connect.ct.gov.
Use the MyDSS app at www.mydss.ct.gov.
Call 1-888-328-2666 to hear your last ten transactions.

You’ll also see your remaining balance printed on the receipt after any purchase.¹

If Activation Won’t Go Through

Most failed activations come down to a typo. Recheck the 18-digit card number, make sure the date of birth is in MMDDYYYY with no punctuation, and confirm whether you need the last four SSN digits or four zeroes. If everything looks right and the system still refuses, hang up and try again. A second call clears most glitches.

If the problem sticks, call 1-888-328-2666 again and wait for a live representative. The line operates around the clock, so business hours don’t matter.²

If the Card Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged

Call 1-888-328-2666 immediately to deactivate a lost or stolen card. The sooner you report it, the less chance someone else drains your balance.³

A replacement card is ordered through a different number: 1-855-626-6632 (1-855-6-CONNECT). Listen for the option to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged EBT card. The new card arrives by mail, and you’ll activate it and set a new PIN using the same steps described above.⁴

Protecting the Card Once It’s Active

Card skimming, where criminals copy your card data at a compromised reader, is a real risk, and federal authority to replace SNAP benefits stolen through fraud expired on December 20, 2024. Benefits stolen after that date are not eligible for replacement using federal funds.⁵ Prevention is the whole game.

Connecticut’s MyDSS app has a card lock feature that lets you freeze the card whenever you’re not using it. You can also block out-of-state transactions, which helps because cloned cards are usually run in a different state from the cardholder. Both toggles live under “EBT Balance and Card Access” after you log in to MyAccount and link your case. Unlock the card before your next shopping trip.⁶

A few habits help too. Change your PIN at least once a month, ideally right before your benefit deposit date. Sign up for transaction alerts so you’re notified of any purchase or PIN change. Check your balance regularly, and report any transaction you didn’t make to customer service right away.⁷

1
Connecticut Department of Social Services. Using Your EBT Card
2
Connecticut Department of Social Services. Summer EBT – SEBT – Contact Us
3
Connecticut Department of Social Services. Summer EBT – SEBT – Activating My S-EBT Card
4
Connecticut Department of Social Services. How Do I Order a Replacement EBT Card?
5
Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Replacement of Stolen Benefits Dashboard
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Town of Bloomfield, Connecticut. NEW!! Lock Your EBT Card to Prevent Fraudulent Use
7
Food and Nutrition Service (USDA). SNAP and TANF EBT Card Skimming Prevention – Tools and Resources