Residents in Morris, Union and most other counties have until Nov. 20 to activate mailed cards before they need to request a replacement.
ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County said Nov. 4 that a state system error was causing long lines and longer waits at its Elizabeth Social Services office, where residents were seeking replacement benefits cards. The advisory gave no estimate for when waits would return to normal. It came during New Jersey’s switch to chip-enabled Families First cards for households receiving food or cash assistance.
The cards carry benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, and Work First New Jersey. The state says existing benefits transfer automatically when the new card is activated. Households that have the new card can activate it and set a new PIN online, in the ConnectEBT app or by calling 800-997-3333. The state introduced the cards to reduce electronic benefit theft and advises using the chip or tap feature where available.
Which deadlines apply
For Morris, Union and most other counties, old cards stopped working after Oct. 20, and households have until Nov. 20 to activate the new cards. Essex, Cumberland and Mercer were part of an earlier rollout. The state lists Oct. 13 as the activation deadline for those counties. Households that miss their deadline need to request a replacement.
How to get a replacement
The state says county social service agencies cannot print replacement chip cards. Residents can request a mailed replacement by calling 800-997-3333, using the Families First website or using the ConnectEBT app. If the card never arrived, the state advises checking the mailing address first. The county social service agency can help verify or update it. Residents can also request an address change through MyNJHelps.gov.
Union County says the state mails replacement cards to the address on record. Residents whose address on file is the county agency should allow up to 20 days for the replacement to reach that office, according to the county. The state says new cards arrive in a plain white envelope with a Kentucky return address.