Governor Moore Announces the Statewide Rollout of More Secure, Fraud-Resistant ‘Chip-and-Tap’ EBT Cards
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ANNAPOLIS, MD— Governor Moore today announced the statewide rollout of new, highly secure Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards equipped with Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) chip-and-tap technology from the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS). Maryland is now the fourth state in the country to successfully adopt these modern security protocols designed to better protect EBT customers and reduce fraud. Amid a national rise in "skimming" and other sophisticated theft tactics, chip-enabled cards provide an additional security layer, preventing unauthorized parties from compromising customer data.
“Across the nation families are struggling with rising costs on everything from food to energy, here in Maryland, we are laser focused on providing accessible and secure relief to hardworking families,” said Gov. Moore. “These fraud-resistant ‘chip-and-tap’ cards are a major step towards that goal, as our administration works tirelessly to make life more affordable for Marylanders and leave no one behind.”
The new cards feature more secure EMV chip-and-tap technology.
The statewide implementation follows a highly successful, first-in-the-nation pilot program conducted in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Dorchester County. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, DHS confirmed that the upgraded chip-enabled cards operate as intended at retailers and financial institutions, allowing customers to seamlessly activate and use their benefits without disruption.
This milestone is the direct result of months of planning, cross-departmental coordination, and collaboration with the state’s retailers and financial institutions. The department connected with customers by email and text messages, totaling more than 2.6 million outreach touchpoints since May 1.
“These new cards are an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to make benefits easier to access and more secure for Marylanders,” said acting Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Stacy L. Rodgers. “Maryland is continuing to lead the way, becoming the fourth state in the nation to successfully use chip cards and provide our EBT customers with the same security protections that other consumers use.”
During the pilot, the overwhelming majority (92%) of all chip-enabled card transactions were approved, resulting in more than $191,000 in retailer activity and over $130,000 in financial activity. Roughly half of all transactions made with the 1,049 activated cards were tap or chip transactions. ATM and internet-based transactions were also successful. Importantly, based on DHS data analysis, 98% of all Maryland EBT customers are within a 10-mile radius of chip-enabled retailers.
What EBT Cardholders Need to Do
All current EBT cardholders will automatically receive their new chip-enabled cards in the mail over the next three weeks. The mailings include comprehensive instructions on card activation and creating a new secure PIN. DHS encourages customers to activate their new cards immediately upon arrival.
Once a customer activates their new chip-enabled card, their previous magnetic stripe card will automatically deactivate. Current benefit balances will remain completely unchanged and transfer automatically.
All current legacy magnetic stripe EBT cards will be deactivated on Sept. 30, 2026. Customers should not wait until this deadline to switch to avoid any disruption when using their new cards.
DHS encourages customers to register for a new account on the ebtEDGE Cardholder Portal or by downloading the ebtEDGE app for iOS or Android to manage their accounts more easily, though it is not a requirement for activation.
Customers experiencing issues, needing more information, or wishing to provide feedback can contact EBT Vendor Services directly at 1-800-997-2222 or by email at [email protected]. More information, including questions and answers, can be found on our website: https://dhs.maryland.gov/ebt-updates/
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