For most people, there is no counter in Maryland where you can walk in and pick up a new EBT card the same day. A replacement Maryland Independence Card is ordered by phone at 1-800-997-2222 or online through the ebtEdge cardholder portal, then printed centrally and mailed to the address on your case file, usually arriving in about a week. A limited number of local Department of Social Services offices can still hand out an emergency “vault card” on the spot, but only in specific hardship situations and only with supervisor approval.
Why In-Person Pickup Usually Isn’t an Option
Maryland DHS has moved card issuance away from local offices. The standard process is a mailed replacement, and some counties have ended walk-in card service altogether. Baltimore County, for example, no longer issues EBT cards at its Drumcastle office and directs residents to request replacements by phone or online.1Baltimore County. Department of Social Services If you’re planning to drive to your local DSS office for a card, call ahead first. Otherwise you’ll likely be sent back to the 1-800 line or ebtEdge.
When a Local DSS Office Can Still Issue a Card the Same Day
The on-site card is called a vault card. It’s a blank EBT card with no name printed on it, issued by a caseworker after a referral form is completed and a supervisor signs off.2Maryland Department of Human Services. A Guide for Storage, Maintenance, and Issuance of Electronic Benefits Transfer Cards Policy reserves this option for genuine emergencies, which Maryland DHS defines narrowly:
- Homeless households with no stable mailing address to receive a card.
- Expedited SNAP cases that must be processed within seven days, where a mailed card won’t arrive in time.
- Regular SNAP cases nearing the 30-day processing deadline where mailing would miss the cutoff.
- Individual hardships such as a house fire or flood, or a domestic violence situation where someone is moving to a shelter. These are decided case by case at the local office.
If your card was simply lost, stolen, or damaged under ordinary circumstances, you don’t meet the vault card criteria and the office will route you to the mail-order process. Bring a valid photo ID if you believe your situation qualifies, since the caseworker verifies identity face to face before completing the referral.
Ordering a Replacement by Phone
Calling Maryland EBT Customer Service at 1-800-997-2222 is the fastest way to get a replacement moving.3Maryland Department of Human Services. New and Improved EBT Cards are Coming The automated system reports the card lost or stolen, confirms the mailing address, and gives you a confirmation number. Have your card number if you still know it, your Social Security Number, and your date of birth ready for identity verification. The old card is deactivated the moment the request goes through, so no one else can use it.
The same number handles PIN resets. If your card still works but you’ve forgotten the PIN, follow the voice prompts, enter your card number and date of birth, and choose a new four-digit PIN without having to wait for a new card.4Maryland Department of Human Services. Maryland SUN Bucks Card – Quick Activation Tips
Ordering a Replacement Online
Maryland has moved from the older ConnectEBT site to a new platform called ebtEdge.3Maryland Department of Human Services. New and Improved EBT Cards are Coming Log in at cardholder.ebtedge.com or through the ebtEdge mobile app, go to the card management section, and submit the replacement request. The portal records the order date so you have proof of when you asked.
Phone and online requests both trigger the same workflow: a card printed at a central facility and mailed to the address Maryland DHS has for your case. If you’ve moved and haven’t updated your address, fix that first through your caseworker or the Maryland benefits portal at benefits.maryland.gov. A replacement sent to an old address won’t do you any good.
What to Have Ready Before You Call or Log In
The system needs to confirm you’re the authorized cardholder before it will send a card. Keep this information in front of you:
- Your full legal name as it appears in your DHS case file.
- Your Social Security Number.
- Your date of birth.
- Your case number, a nine-digit number printed on benefit approval letters from DHS.
- The mailing address where the card should be sent.
For an in-person request at a local office, add a valid photo ID. The caseworker checks it before filling out the vault card referral.
Activating the Card When It Arrives
Your new card won’t work until you set a PIN. Call 1-800-997-2222, enter the new card number, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, and your date of birth, then choose and confirm a four-digit PIN.4Maryland Department of Human Services. Maryland SUN Bucks Card – Quick Activation Tips The system rejects obvious patterns like 1234 or 1111.
Keep in mind that the old card is deactivated as soon as you submit the replacement request, not when the new card shows up. There will be a gap of several days without benefit access. If you’re replacing a damaged card that still works at some registers, requesting the replacement kills it immediately, so plan grocery trips around the wait.
A Limit on How Often You Can Replace Your Card
Federal rules require every state to track replacement requests. Once a household hits four replacements in a 12-month period, Maryland must send a written notice explaining that the account is being monitored for possible trafficking or misuse.5eCFR. 7 CFR 274.6 – Replacement and Monitoring The notice lists how many cards you’ve requested, over what period, and warns that further activity could be referred to the state’s fraud investigation unit. The state can also require you to speak with your caseworker and explain the need before issuing another card. Lost cards happen, but if you’re approaching that threshold, protect the one you have.