EBT Card Replacement: What to Do If It's Lost or Stolen

Quick answer: For an EBT card replacement, call the 24-hour number on the back of your card or use your state's EBT app to report the card lost or stolen. Federal rules then require your state to mail you a new card, or have one ready for pickup, within two business days.¹ Federal money to replace stolen SNAP benefits only covered thefts through December 20, 2024.² Your remaining balance moves to the new card, but benefits a thief spent before you reported the card are usually gone.³

For how SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) works overall, see our SNAP guide.

What should you do first if your EBT card is lost or stolen?

Report it right away. Every state must run a lost-card reporting line that is always working, and it puts a hold on your account the moment you call.¹ In New York, for example, the EBT line answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.⁴

1. Report the card. Call the customer service number on the back of your card, or report it in your state's EBT app or website. If you don't have the number, find your state's line in our EBT balance guide, which lists every state.
2. Lock it instead if it's only misplaced. If you think the card is somewhere at home, lock or freeze it in your state's app. Once you report it lost and ask for a new card, the old card is canceled, and no one, not even you, can use it again.³
3. Change your PIN if someone may know it. If you see charges you didn't make, change your PIN at once to stop new purchases.²
4. Check your transaction history. Write down any charges you don't recognize, with the date, amount and store.
5. Write down when you reported it. After you report the card, the state is responsible for benefits taken from the account and must replace them.¹ The state keeps a record of the date and time of your report.¹

Speed matters because EBT cards lack a common bank-card protection. The federal law that covers unauthorized charges on most government benefit cards does not cover EBT cards.⁵

How do you get a replacement EBT card?

You can usually ask for a new card three ways: by phone, online or in your state's app, or in person at a local benefits office. In Louisiana, for example, you cancel the old card and then request a new one in the app, on the website or by phone.⁶

Can you report a lost EBT card online?

Yes, in many states. Texas lets you request a new card in the Your Texas Benefits app.³ New Jersey lets you report a lost card and order a new one on NJFamiliesFirst.gov or the ConnectEBT app.⁷ California takes requests on BenefitsCal, the ebtEDGE app or its cardholder website.⁸ Use only your state's official app; New Jersey warns that other EBT apps are not tied to its card.⁷

What is the fastest way to get a replacement EBT card?

Going in person is often fastest, where your state offers it. Federal rules let states hand you a card for pickup instead of mailing it.¹ In New York City, you can get a permanent card the same day at the EBT Services Office at 785 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.⁴ Any HRA Benefits Access Center can give you a temporary card with your full balance until the permanent one arrives. Bring a photo ID.⁴

Some states only mail cards. Arkansas, for example, sends every EBT card by mail.⁹ Call your local office first to ask whether it can print a card while you wait.

How long do replacement EBT cards take to arrive?

In the states we checked, most new cards arrive within one to two weeks. The clock starts when you report the card, so report it the day you notice.

Where	How long it takes (as of Oct. 2026)
Federal rule, all states	Card mailed or ready for pickup within 2 business days of your report1
Arkansas	Mailed by noon the next business day; arrives in 3 to 5 business days9
Maryland	Mailed within 24 hours of a theft report10
Texas	About 7 calendar days by mail3
New York City	7 to 10 business days if you ask online or by phone; same day in person4
Louisiana	3 to 5 business days to a street address; up to 7 to 10 to a P.O. box6

Can I use my EBT card without the physical card?

Usually not. In Louisiana, you can't use your benefits until the new card arrives and you pick a PIN; then your balance and history show up on it.⁶ A temporary card, where your state offers one, is the main way around the wait.⁴

Will my replacement EBT card have the same number?

Treat it as a new card. The old one is canceled for good once you report it, even if you find it later.³ Texas moves your PIN and balance to the new card,³ and Arkansas also lets you keep your PIN.⁹ If you saved the old card in a store's app or website, add the new one before you check out.

How are EBT cards being stolen?

Most theft happens while the card is still in your wallet. Thieves put a hidden device on a card reader or ATM to copy your card data, which is called skimming. They then load the data onto fake cards, called cloning.² Scamming, or phishing, is when someone tricks you into giving up your card number or PIN, often by a fake call or text.⁷ California also warns about shimming, a device inside a chip reader that copies the card or forces you to swipe.⁸

Warning signs include a balance lower than you expect, or purchases you don't recognize, while your card never left you.⁸

Which states have EBT chip cards?

As of October 2026, USDA lists eight states that have issued chip EBT cards: Alabama, California, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Virginia. Arkansas, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania have chip projects in progress.¹¹ Chip cards are harder to copy than magnetic-stripe cards.¹² If you have one, insert or tap it instead of swiping.⁸

How do I lock my EBT card?

Log in to your state's EBT app or website and look for "Lock," "Freeze" or "Protect My Account." Locking blocks purchases until you unlock it, so you can lock the card between shopping trips. Reporting a card lost is different: it cancels the card.

• Georgia offers "Lock Everywhere," which blocks all purchases, including online ones, and recommends it when you aren't shopping.¹³
• Pennsylvania's Card Lock blocks purchases and balance checks, and its Auto Re-Lock locks the card again 30, 60 or 90 minutes after you unlock it.¹⁴
• New York lets you freeze and unfreeze only in the ebtEDGE app or website, not by phone. A frozen card can't make purchases or check a balance, but you can still change your PIN.⁴
• Florida's ebtEDGE "Protect My Account" setting can block out-of-state or online purchases, and you can freeze the card fully.¹⁵

Can stolen EBT benefits be replaced?

Only in some states, and only under state rules. Congress had states use federal funds to replace SNAP benefits stolen by skimming, cloning and similar methods from October 1, 2022, through December 20, 2024, and did not extend it.² Those federal replacements were capped at the amount stolen or two months of benefits, whichever was less.²

We checked 10 state agency websites on October 26, 2026. "Not stated" means the page we read did not say.

State	Lock or freeze option	Stolen SNAP replaced?	Chip card11
California	ebtEDGE: freeze, or block out-of-state and online use8	May be, if your card was with you and you report it to the county within 90 days8	Issued
Florida	ebtEDGE: freeze, or block out-of-state and online use15	No; federal program ended Dec. 20, 202416	No
Georgia	ConnectEBT: Lock Everywhere13	No; claims ended in Georgia June 20, 202517	No
Maryland	Call your local social services office to freeze it10	Yes, 100% of confirmed theft; file within 45 days10	Issued
Mississippi	Not stated; get a new card and PIN at 1-866-512-508718	No, since June 30, 202518	No
New Jersey	ConnectEBT or NJFamiliesFirst.gov: Lock Card Everywhere7	No7	Issued
New York	ebtEDGE: freeze4	No for SNAP since Sept. 30, 2025; cash aid claims still taken19	In progress
North Carolina	ebtEDGE: Freeze Card20	No20	No
Pennsylvania	ConnectEBT: Card Lock with Auto Re-Lock14	Not stated; ask your County Assistance Office	In progress
Texas	Your Texas Benefits app: freeze3	Not for benefits taken before you call3	No

Maryland stands out. It pays back 100% of benefits it confirms were stolen, decides claims within 10 business days, and does not require a police report.¹⁰ It won't pay a claim filed more than 45 days after you learned of the theft, or one where you gave your card and PIN to the person who used it.¹⁰ For other states, ask your SNAP office whether it has its own program.

How do you spot EBT scams and report SNAP fraud?

State agencies and EBT processors will never call or text to ask for your PIN or card number.² USDA has warned about fake texts that say your SNAP EBT card is locked and give a phone number to call.²¹ Don't call the number in the text. Use the number on the back of your card instead.

To report a store or person misusing SNAP, use USDA's Report Nutrition Program Fraud page.²² States run their own lines too; Texas takes reports at its Office of Inspector General, 800-436-6184.³ If your own benefits were stolen, tell your state SNAP office even when it can't pay them back, since the reports help it fight theft.¹⁸

Does it cost money to replace an EBT card?

Sometimes. Federal rules let a state charge a fee, taken out of your next monthly benefit, but the fee can't be more than the card costs. States can waive it for good cause.¹ Maryland gives one free replacement card every 12 months, then charges $2 per card.¹⁰

There is also a soft limit. After your fourth replacement in 12 months, your state must send a notice that your account is being watched for misuse. Some states make you call them before they send another card.¹ States must still protect people who are homeless, older, disabled or crime victims and lose cards without doing anything wrong.¹

Can I get SNAP replaced for food lost in a power outage?

Possibly. Federal rules replace food bought with SNAP that was destroyed in a household misfortune or disaster, such as a fire or flood, so ask your SNAP office whether your outage counts.¹ You must report the loss to your SNAP office within 10 days and sign a statement within 10 days of that report.¹ The replacement covers your loss, up to one month's benefit.¹ The office may check with the fire department, the Red Cross or a home visit first.¹

Where can you get food while you wait for your new card?

Food pantries don't need an EBT card. As of October 26, 2026, the PantryPath directory has 7,566 confirmed pantry listings; 817 say no ID is required.²³ Browse pantries that don't ask for ID, search by ZIP code, or see our emergency food help page. If your SNAP case itself has a problem, our guide to emergency SNAP explains fast-track help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my EBT card locked or not working?

Check whether you locked it in your app; a locked card blocks purchases until you unlock it.¹⁴ Wrong PINs also lock cards. In Louisiana, three wrong tries freeze the card until midnight,⁶ and in Arkansas, four wrong tries block it until the next day.⁹ Our balance guide covers other reasons a balance looks wrong.

Do I need a police report for stolen EBT benefits?

It depends on the state. Maryland does not require one to replace stolen benefits, though it encourages you to file.¹⁰ Florida's page says you may file a police report and should request a new card, since federal replacement ended.¹⁶

How long does it take to get back stolen EBT benefits?

Only states with their own programs pay them back. Maryland decides within 10 business days and loads approved benefits onto your new card.¹⁰

What PIN should I pick for my new EBT card?

Avoid easy PINs like 1111, 1234 or 9876, and change your PIN at least once a month, right before your benefits load.² Louisiana also blocks PINs that match your birth date, birth year or the last four digits of your Social Security number.⁶

How we checked this

On October 26, 2026, we read the federal replacement rule (7 CFR 274.6), USDA's stolen-benefits, chip card, scam and fraud pages, and the EBT pages of 12 state or city agencies. Directory figures come from a query of confirmed PantryPath listings on the same date.

USDA's stolen-benefits page still says no state issues chip cards, but its chip card map, updated October 20, 2026, lists eight states, so we used the map. Phone numbers and policies change often, so confirm with your state before you act. For more on SNAP rules and benefits, start with our SNAP guide.