If you lost your EBT card in PA, call 1-888-EBT-PENN (1-888-328-7366) to report it and order a replacement. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Your first replacement is free, and the benefits on your account stay safe as long as you report the loss before someone else uses the card. Before you call, lock the card in the ConnectEBT app so no one can spend your balance while you wait.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Lock the Card First in ConnectEBT
Log into the ConnectEBT app or website and tap Lock/Unlock Card. Choose “Lock My Card Everywhere” to block all purchases, including online orders. The other option, “Lock My Card Outside PA,” only blocks out-of-state transactions and still allows in-state and online purchases, so it isn’t the right choice for a lost card.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Human Services – Launches New Security Feature EBT Card Lock
One catch: you have to unlock the card before a replacement can be issued. Lock it now to protect the balance, then unlock it when you’re ready to call for the new card.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Human Services – Launches New Security Feature EBT Card Lock
How to Order the Replacement
You have two ways to request a new card:
- Call the EBT Recipient Hotline at 1-888-EBT-PENN (1-888-328-7366). It handles lost or stolen reports, balance inquiries, and replacement requests around the clock.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
- Visit your County Assistance Office (CAO) during business hours and have a caseworker process the replacement in person.3Department of Human Services. County Assistance Offices
If you have a genuine emergency and cannot wait for a card by mail, the CAO may issue one on the spot. Same-day issuance requires approval from the office’s executive director or a designee, so it is reserved for real emergencies rather than routine replacements.4Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. SNAP Handbook – 580.6 Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS Card
Once the request goes through, the old card is permanently deactivated. Nobody can use it even if it turns up later.
How Long Delivery Takes
Pennsylvania’s policy handbook tells caseworkers to inform recipients that a centrally issued EBT ACCESS card takes seven to ten days to arrive, covering both processing and standard mail.4Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. SNAP Handbook – 580.6 Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS Card Some cards come faster, but plan for the full window.
If you cannot go that long without benefits, visit your CAO and explain the situation. You can also call 211 or use pa-navigate.org to find food assistance in your area while you wait.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scams – Department of Human Services
Replacement Card Fees
Your first replacement is free. The CAO must allow one no-cost replacement per payment name during the life of the account.4Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. SNAP Handbook – 580.6 Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS Card After that, each replacement costs $2.50, deducted automatically from your cash assistance balance, or from your SNAP balance if you have no cash balance. You never pay the fee out of pocket.6Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. SNAP Handbook – 580.5 Replacements
Some other situations also qualify for a free replacement:
- A damaged or defective card, if you return the broken card to your CAO.
- Reapplying after a gap in eligibility.
- Exceptional circumstances, including cases where your account balance is too low to cover the fee and you need the card to access medical services. The CAO can waive the fee.4Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. SNAP Handbook – 580.6 Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS Card
Activating the New Card and Choosing a PIN
When the replacement arrives, you have to activate it and pick a new four-digit PIN before you can use it. Set the PIN by calling 1-888-EBT-PENN.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Department of Human Services – Launches New Security Feature EBT Card Lock Every purchase and ATM withdrawal requires it.7Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Cash Assistance Handbook – 180.7 Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS Card
Don’t reuse your old PIN. The Shapiro Administration has urged SNAP recipients to change their PIN at least monthly and right before the monthly deposit to reduce the risk of benefit theft.8Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Shapiro Administration Reminds SNAP Recipients to Change EBT Card PINs Ahead of Monthly Distribution to Prevent Theft of Benefits Your remaining benefits transfer automatically to the new card once you activate it.
If Someone Already Used Your Benefits
If your balance is gone when you check, the Department of Human Services says to take three steps:
- File a report with local law enforcement.
- Report the theft to the Office of State Inspector General at 1-800-932-0582.
- Request a new EBT card through the hotline or your CAO.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Scams – Department of Human Services
Be aware of a hard limit on recovery. Federal funding for replacing SNAP benefits stolen through card skimming, cloning, or phishing expired on December 20, 2024. Benefits stolen after that date are not eligible for replacement using federal funds, and Congress has not passed a permanent replacement program.9Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Replacement of Stolen Benefits Dashboard Reporting quickly still matters for the investigation and for shutting down the card, but the stolen dollars may not come back. That is why locking the card in ConnectEBT the moment you notice it missing is the single most valuable step you can take.