To Activate your EBT card, go to www.ebtedge.com and choose the Cardholder login option or you can call the number on the back of your EBT card and follow the prompts to create a PIN.
What you should know about an EBT card?
An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card is a plastic card that is used to distribute government benefits to zero and low-income earners, older people, and disabled persons. State welfare agencies issue EBT cards, which function like debit or credit cards.
There are two types of benefits that can be accessed through an EBT card– Food benefits and cash benefits.
- Food Benefits: Food benefits can only be used to purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages. The benefits are distributed under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
- Cash Benefits: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provides cash assistance to low-income families with dependent children. The benefits can be utilized to buy items at authorized retailers and can also be used for cash-back transactions or withdrawals from ATMs.
How to Activate Your first EBT Card and Create a PIN?
When using your EBT card for the first time you must go through an activation process. There are two ways to activate your EBT card and create a PIN- you can call the number on the back of your EBT card and follow the prompts or you can activate it from the Cardholder portal on www.ebtedge.com. Let’s look at the steps to activate your card and follow.
Activate your card using the number
- Call 1-866-545-6502 and listen to the prompts.
- Select your Preferred language.
- Input 16-digit card number on the front of your card.
- Enter your Date of Birth in the mm/dd/yy format.
- Enter your Social Security Number or SSN.
- Enter the 4-digit pin when asked.
- Re Enter your pin when asked.
Activate your card using the Cardholder portal
- Open your web browser.
- Visit www.ebtedge.com.
- Find and Tap on the “Cardholder Login” button
- Input 16-digit card number.
- After that Click on the Login button.
- Now click on the “PIN Select” option.
- Enter your Date of Birth in the specified format.
- Then enter your Social Security Number or SSN.
- Enter your 4-digit pin.
- Re Enter The Chosen pin.
- Now click on the “Update” button.
Once you get an EBT card then you can use the above steps to activate your EBT Card. Before using your EBT card to shop always ensure to check the balance. The ways to know your balance include checking on the last shopping receipt, calling the EBT helpline at 1-866-545-6502 of inquiring from their cardholder website at cardholder.ebtedge.com or the mobile application.