Recertification Process

In accordance with federal regulations, a TCF household may request to recertify for CalFresh benefits at any time during the five-month TCF period by submitting an application (e.g., the CF 285, or the SAWS 1, or by applying Online/electronically). These households, if otherwise eligible, will have a new certification period.

Counties are required to send the CalFresh Notice of Expiration of Certification (CF 377.2), Recertification packet, and CalFresh Recertification Appointment Letter (GEN 102) to TCF households the month prior to the last month of the TCF benefit period (i.e., 4th month).

Counties must recertify TCF households in the final month of the their TCF period (i.e., 5th month). These households, if otherwise eligible, will have a new certification period effective on the first day of the following month after the TCF period expires.

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Recertification in the Final Month of TCF

All current recertification policies and procedures as outlined in the CalFresh Handbook, Recertification apply to the TCF household at the end of the benefit period.

The NEC, RC packet and RC appointment letter must be mailed in the 4th month of the TCF period.

• RC interviews should be scheduled so that households have at least 10 days to provide the required verification before the TCF certification period expires.
• A NOMI must be sent to the household if they miss their scheduled interview.

When the county sends the NEC and RC packet the month prior to the last month of the benefit period (i.e., 4th month), households must complete the recertification process by:

• Returning the application no later than the 15th day of the last month of the benefit period (i.e. 5th month), and
• Completing an RC interview, and
• Submitting any proof of income, expenses, or other information within 10 days from the date of the interview.

Note: TCF households that not recertifying for CalFresh must have their cases closed at the end of the transitional period.

Refer to Recertification.

Recertification During the First Four Months of the TCF Period

Federal regulations for recertification during the first four months of the TCF benefit period are as follows:

• If the county does not determine the eligibility for a household within 30 days of the application, then the County must continue processing the application while continuing the household’s TCF benefits.
• If it is determined after the application is processed, that the household is entitled to CalFresh benefits higher than its TCF benefits for the first month of the new certification period, a supplemental benefit payment must be issued.
• If the application process cannot be completed due to the county not taking a required action, the county must continue to process the application and provide a full month’s allotment for the first month of the new certification period.
• If the application process cannot be completed because the household failed to take a required action, the County may deny the application at that time or at the end of the 30 days. If the household is determined to be ineligible for the program, the County must deny the household’s application for recertification.

  • Note: The difference during the first four months of the transitional period is that the County must continue the household’s benefits to the end of the TCF benefit period, at which time the County must initiate the process for recertifying the household.

• If the household is determined eligible for CalFresh, but is entitled to a benefit lower than its transitional benefit, the county must encourage the household to withdraw its application for recertification and continue to receive transitional benefits. If the household does not wish to withdraw the application, the county must process the recertification and either begin a new CalFresh certification period and issue the lower benefit allotment or, if the household is ineligible for CalFresh, deny the application and continue to issue the same TCF benefit allotment for the remainder of the five-month transitional period.
• If the household is determined eligible for the program, the new certification period begins with the first day of the month following the month in which the household submitted the application for recertification. The county must issue the household full benefits for that month, which is a procedural change.

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