If you live in California and would like to find out when your food stamps or cash assistance payment will be deposited onto your Golden State Advantage EBT Card account, you’ve come to the right place. We have listed below the California EBT Deposit Dates for 2021.
This Post Will Cover:
- Food Stamps Deposit Schedule in California
- California EBT Deposit Dates for 2021
- What Time your Benefits will be Deposited?
- What to do if you didn’t Receive your Food Stamps
- Which Grocery Stores Accept California EBT for Delivery?
- How to get Free Cell Phone With California SNAP Benefits
Food Stamp Deposit Schedule in California
Once you are approved for California SNAP benefits (CalFresh or Food Stamps), the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will send you an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Card in the mail via USPS.
The California EBT Card is a debit-like card that is used to access your monthly food stamp benefits.
Your California SNAP EBT Card can be used to purchase groceries and approved food items at stores and markets.
Furthermore, since 2020, California EBT Cards can now be used to purchase groceries online.
See details below for a list of grocery stores that are participating in California EBT shopping online for pickup and delivery.
In California, food Stamps Benefits are deposited on EBT Cards from the 1st of the month to the 10th of every month.
To find out what day you can expect to receive your SNAP benefits on your California EBT Card, check out the California EBT Deposit Dates for 2021 below.
California EBT Deposit Dates for 2021
Your California EBT Deposit Date varies based on the last digits of your California Food Stamps case number.
In order to determine when you receive your California food stamps, you must have your case number.
If you cannot locate your case number, you can find it by logging into your California CDSS online account or on your California SNAP Approval Letter that you received in the mail.
If you still do not have your California Case Number, please contact your California CDSS caseworker.
Here is the California SNAP EBT Deposit Schedule for 2021:
| If your Case Number ends in | Benefits are deposited on the |
| 1 | 1st of the month |
| 2 | 2nd of the month |
| 3 | 3rd of the month |
| 4 | 4th of the month |
| 5 | 5th of the month |
| 6 | 6th of the month |
| 7 | 7th of the month |
| 8 | 8th of the month |
| 9 | 9th of the month |
| 0 | 10th of the month |
Once your benefits are deposited into your account, you can begin using them with your California EBT card to purchase eligible food items.
Additionally, if you need help finding your California Case Number, please contact your local CDSS office or speak to your caseworker as mentioned above.
To find a CDSS office near you, click here.
What time will my California EBT Benefits Be Deposited?
Your California food stamps are deposited into EBT account on your scheduled deposit date every month.
SNAP benefits are available the next day after they are entered into the system if the benefit is for the past month or the current month.
If you do not see the benefits deposited into your account by noon the day after your scheduled date (weekday), then your benefits have stopped.
Keep reading below to find out possible reasons why your EBT benefits may have been discontinued and what you should do.
I Did Not Receive My California Food Stamps This Month
If you did not receive your California food stamps deposit on your EBT Card this month, there may be a reason for that.
In fact, there are three possible reasons why you didn’t receive your monthly SNAP EBT deposit.
3 Reasons You Didn’t Receive your Food Stamps
Here are the reasons why you may not have received your California SNAP benefits this month:
Reason #1 – You didn’t Renew your Benefits
The first reason may be due to failure to renew your benefits on time or submit renewal documentation on time.
You must turn in this recertification application and be interviewed before the end of your certification period to continue receiving CalFresh.
In many counties, you can complete this recertification application online.
For help in completing your recertification, contact your local CDSS office.
Reason #2 – You didn’t meet the Work Requirements
The second reason may be due to the fact that you are classified as an Able-Bodied Adult without Dependents, also known as an ABAWD.
According to the California CDSS, the food stamps program only allows you to receive SNAP benefits for 3 months, every 3 years unless you meet certain work requirements.
If you qualify as an able-bodied adult and do not have children or dependents or a job, your 3-month time period may have expired.
Reason #3 – You have been flagged for Fraud
The third reason may be that your food stamps benefits have been cut off due to suspicion of fraud on your California SNAP EBT account.
If you think your California SNAP account has been flagged for food stamps fraud, please contact your local CDSS office.
They will be able to help you find out why your benefits did not come through this month. To locate the nearest CDSS office, click here.
Which Grocery Stores Accept California EBT for Delivery?
As of August 2021, you can use your California EBT card to make purchases online for pick-up and/or Delivery at the following grocery stores:
- ALDI
- Amazon
- FoodMaxx
- Lucky Supermarkets
- Save Mart Supermarkets
- Walmart
As you can see above, you can purchase groceries online for home delivery using your California EBT card at Amazon and Walmart.
See our post on how to use your EBT Card to shop on Amazon.
USDA has approved California’s plan for online SNAP purchasing. We look forward to working with @CaliforniaDSS to implement this program that will provide important food access, especially for older adults and people with disabilities, next month. https://t.co/IlrtthPWSo
— California Association of Food Banks (@CAFoodBanks) April 8, 2020
For more details on this, see our post on Where to Buy Groceries Online with SNAP EBT.
Free Cell Phones With California SNAP Benefits
Lifeline Service is part of a program that was created by the government to provide discounted or free phone service to income-eligible people.
How to Get Lifeline Phone
There are three steps to getting a Lifeline phone in California.
Step 1: Qualify for Lifeline Program
If you participate in one of the following federal assistance programs, you may be eligible for the Lifeline phone program.
Participation by you or someone else in your household in one of the following federal assistance programs meets the eligibility requirements:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called Food Stamps
- Medicaid (Medicare is not acceptable)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit Program
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8)
Step 2: Choose a Lifeline Provider
You have to apply for Lifeline through a Lifeline phone or internet provider in your state. Scroll down below to see the list of Lifeline providers in California.
Step 3: Apply for the Lifeline Program
Ask your Lifeline provider for a Lifeline application. You will need the following information to apply:
What documentation do you need?
Here’s what you need to apply:
- Government Issued Photo ID or Driver’s License.
- One (1) Eligibility Document (like your program award letter)
Lifeline Cell Phone Providers in California
Scroll down below to see the Lifeline program providers in California.
The list for each state is divided into Cell Phone Providers and Home Phone Providers.
You can choose which program to take advantage of, based on your home situation.
However, you can only participate in one program per household.
This means that your lifeline benefits can be used to either get a cell phone service or a home phone.
Cell Phone Services
Below is a list of cell phone providers that participate in the Lifeline program in the state of California.
| Company Name | Phone |
| Safelink Wireless | 800-723-3546 |
| Air Voice Wireless | 888-944-2355 |
| Assurance Wireless | 888-898-4888 |
| Access Wireless | 866-594-3644 |
| StandUP Wireless | 800-544-4441 |
| Truconnect | 800-430-0443 |
| Safetynet Wireless | 888-224-3213 |
| Life Wireless | 888-543-3620 |
| Boomerang Wireless LLC | 866-488-8719 |
Home Phone Services
Below is a list of home phone providers that participate in the Lifeline program in the state of California.
| Company Name | Phone |
| TDS Telecom/Winter Haven Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| Volcano Telephone Company | 888-886-5226 |
| Blue Casa | 800-360-1902 |
| ConnectTo communications | 800-804-4603 |
| Pinnacles Telephone Co. | 831-389-4500 |
| AT&T | 800-288-2747 |
| TDS Telecom/Hornitos Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| TDS Telecom/Happy Valley Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| Siskiyou Telephone | 866-467-6001 |
| Frontier Communications | 800-921-8101 |
| Ducor Telephone Company | 888-539-5234 |
| Cox Communications | 866-961-0027 |
| Sebastian | 559-846-4868 |
| Consolidated Communications of California Company | 844-968-7224 |
| Ponderosa Telephone | 800-682-1878 |
| Calaveras Telephone Company | 800-253-2511 |
| Sierra Telephone Company, Inc. | 877-658-4611 |
| CAL-ORE Telephone | 800-858-2399 |
California EBT Deposit Schedule Summary
Here’s the bottom line:
Food Stamps Benefits are deposited onto EBT Card accounts from the 1st to the 10th of every month.
However, when your payment is deposited depends on the last digits of your California Food Stamps case number.
If you did not receive your EBT benefits for the month, it could be due to several reasons.
The best course of action is to contact your local CDSS office for more information about why you did not get your benefits.
Questions?
In conclusion, we hope this article on California EBT Deposit Dates was helpful.
If so, we encourage you to share this article with anyone who may also find it helpful by using the “Share this” button below.
Also, if you have additional questions about the California EBT for food stamps, please leave those in the comments section below. We are here to help you!
Lastly, be sure to check out our other articles about California SNAP & EBT, including:
How to Check the Balance on California EBT Card
What you can buy with EBT Card
How to Check the Balance on California EBT Card
California EBT Card Guide
