The California Benefits Identification Card is one plastic card that handles three safety-net programs at once. It works as your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card for CalFresh food benefits and CalWORKs cash aid, and it serves as your proof of coverage for Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program. It is issued jointly by the California Department of Social Services and the Department of Health Care Services, and you use it at grocery stores, ATMs, doctors’ offices, and hospitals across the state.
What the Card Looks Like and How Each Side Works
The card looks like a standard debit card. The front shows your name, a unique Client Identification Number (CIN), and an issue date. A magnetic stripe runs across the back.
The two sides of the card do different jobs. The EBT side handles money. Food benefits and cash aid are loaded onto it electronically each month, and you spend them by swiping at a checkout terminal or withdrawing cash at an ATM. You protect that side with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) you choose yourself.
The Medi-Cal side is a healthcare ID, not a payment card. There is no PIN, and no money moves when you present it. A provider reads your Client Identification Number, checks your current eligibility in the state database, and bills Medi-Cal directly.1Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Medi-Cal Eligibility Manual – Article 14 – Medi-Cal Card Use and Issuance
The Three Programs the Card Connects To
CalFresh
CalFresh is California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.2Department of Social Services. CalFresh Each month, food benefits land on the EBT side of your card for use at grocery stores and farmers’ markets. For the benefit year running October 2025 through September 2026, the maximum monthly allotment is $298 for a single person and $994 for a family of four, with the actual amount depending on household size, income, and deductions. Gross monthly income generally has to be at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify, which works out to about $1,696 for a single person or $3,483 for a household of four in 2026.3Santa Clara County Social Services Agency. CalFresh Program Monthly Allotment and Income Eligibility Standards Charts
CalWORKs
CalWORKs provides monthly cash assistance to families with minor children who meet income and asset requirements. The money works like cash: you can spend it at the register or pull it out at an ATM. Grant amounts vary by family size, by county, and by whether adults in the household meet work participation requirements.
Medi-Cal
Medi-Cal is the state’s Medicaid program. Most adults between 19 and 64 qualify if household income is at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level.4DHCS – CA.gov. 2026 FPL Calculation Chart (Monthly Values) Enclosure 1 Covered services include doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, emergency care, mental health treatment, substance use disorder services, prenatal and maternity care, dental, and vision exams every two years.5Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Medi-Cal Benefits Chart Children under 21 get broader coverage through the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment program.
Using the Card at the Grocery Store
Swipe at any retailer that accepts EBT, enter your PIN, and the amount comes off your CalFresh balance. The quick rule for what qualifies: if the item carries a Nutrition Facts label and is not hot at the point of sale, CalFresh almost certainly covers it. If it carries a Supplement Facts label, or it is alcohol, tobacco, a hot prepared meal, a household item, or a cannabis or CBD product, it does not.6USDA Food and Nutrition Service. What Can SNAP Buy?
You can also use CalFresh for online grocery pickup and delivery through participating retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Albertsons, Safeway, and Vons under the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot.7LACOUNTY.GOV DPSS. EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program Questions and Answers CalFresh covers the groceries but not delivery fees, so keep another payment method on file for those.
Restaurants are off limits for most people. The one exception is the Restaurant Meals Program, which allows purchases at participating restaurants only if every member of your CalFresh household is 60 or older, has a disability, is the spouse of someone who qualifies, or is experiencing homelessness. If even one person in the household does not meet those criteria, the whole household is ineligible for restaurant purchases.8CalFresh – California Department of Social Services – CA.gov. The CalFresh Restaurant Meals Program
Using the Card for Cash
CalWORKs cash aid behaves like a bank balance. Swipe at any retailer displaying the Quest symbol, enter your PIN, and the amount comes off your cash balance. You can also withdraw at ATMs that accept EBT. You get a limited number of surcharge-free withdrawals each month, and anything beyond that triggers transaction fees, so pulling what you need in fewer trips saves money.
The card works in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. Puerto Rico is the exception; California EBT cards do not currently work there.9EBT Project – CA.gov. Client Frequently Asked Questions You still have to live in California to stay eligible. Report any address change to your county office, and understand that moving out of state permanently means reapplying wherever you land.
Using the Card at the Doctor
Bring the card to every medical visit, even if you have been to that provider before. Eligibility can shift between appointments, and the provider verifies your status each time by reading your Client Identification Number against the state database. No PIN is involved, and nothing is charged to the card at the counter.
Checking Your Balance and Managing Your PIN
You have four ways to see what you have left on the EBT side:
- Your most recent store receipt prints the remaining balance.
- At a card reader, select “check balance” and enter your PIN.
- Call EBT Customer Service at 1-877-328-9677; the automated system runs around the clock.10EBT Project – CA.gov. When to Call – EBT Project – CA.gov
- Log into BenefitsCal or register at ebtEDGE.com to see balances and transaction history online.
To change your PIN because you forgot it or suspect someone else has it, call the same 1-877-328-9677 number, or visit your county office and use their PIN selection equipment in person.11BenefitsCal. EBT FAQs Do not write your PIN on the card or keep it in the same wallet. Anything spent using your PIN counts as an authorized transaction and will not be replaced.
If the Card Is Lost or Stolen
Call 1-877-328-9677 the moment you notice the card is missing.10EBT Project – CA.gov. When to Call – EBT Project – CA.gov Reporting it disables the card right away so nobody can keep spending. You can also request a replacement through your county social services office or on BenefitsCal.
A new card usually arrives by mail within seven to ten business days, and your remaining CalFresh and CalWORKs balance moves to it automatically. Benefits someone else spent before you reported the card missing are gone. The state will not replace them, so speed matters.
Keeping the Benefits Active
Eligibility is not permanent. Both sides of the card have reporting requirements, and a missed deadline can shut off your benefits even when you still qualify.
CalFresh and CalWORKs: The SAR 7
Every six months you will receive a Semi-Annual Eligibility Status Report (SAR 7) in the mail. Sign it after the first of the reporting month and return it by the fifth of the following month.12California Department of Social Services (CDSS). SAR 7 Eligibility Status Report The form asks whether anything has changed since your last report, including:
- Anyone moving into or out of your home, including newborns
- Address changes
- Changes to employment income or other sources of money
- Changes in property ownership, bank accounts, or other assets
- Increases in medical expenses, dependent care costs, or child support obligations
You need to attach proof for most changes. If nothing has changed, sign and return the form anyway.
Medi-Cal: Annual Renewal
Medi-Cal reviews your eligibility once a year. Your local office checks government databases first, and if everything lines up, you are renewed automatically with no paperwork. If more information is needed, the office sends a renewal packet in a bright yellow envelope. Returning it on time is the only way to keep coverage.13DHCS – CA.gov. FAQs – Keep Your Medi-Cal You can submit the renewal online through BenefitsCal, by mail, by phone, or in person.
One detail trips people up: you do not need to report non-income assets like bank accounts, homes, or vehicles at renewal. The exception is if a new person with property moves into your household, or you receive rental income from property you own.13DHCS – CA.gov. FAQs – Keep Your Medi-Cal
How to Apply if You Don’t Have the Card Yet
The quickest way to apply is online at BenefitsCal, the state’s benefits portal. The application takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes and you can save your progress.14BenefitsCal. Apply for Benefits You do not need to upload proof documents at the time of application; the system tells you what to send after you submit. You can also apply in person at your county social services office or by phone.
After submission, CalFresh requires an interview by phone or in person, while Medi-Cal does not.14BenefitsCal. Apply for Benefits If you qualify for expedited CalFresh service because of very low income or resources, some county offices can hand you a loaded EBT card and PIN the same day as your interview.15Santa Clara County Social Services Agency. Expedited Service Overview Otherwise, the card is mailed to you.