What to do if you have not received a Golden State stimulus check? How to claim

Millions of California residents became eligible for a Golden State stimulus check earlier this year when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the California Comeback Plan into law. The $100 billion package ensured that two-thirds of adult residents could get the direct payment, but not everyone has received one yet.

First and foremost, residents had to have submitted their 2020 tax return before 15 October 2021 to be eligible for a payment. Each individual’s entitlement is based on information submitted in their latest filing.

The initial rounds of payments were primarily comprised of direct deposits straight into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts because this was the faster payment method. However the California Franchise Tax Board (CFTB) have confirmed that the vast majority of these had been sent out by 15 November, meaning that anyone still waiting will likely get a paper stimulus check.

When will my physical Golden State stimulus check arrive?

Between now and the end of January, hundreds of thousands of California residents will receive their physical stimulus check, totalling between $600 and $1,100 per person. The state-wide distribution effort has been a massive undertaking for the CFTB, so the payments have been split into a series of waves.

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The division of payments is being done by geographical location, with six rounds of payments going out to six different ZIP code areas.

045-220: Checks mailed between 18 October and 5 November, arriving by 26 November

221-375: Checks mailed between 1 November and 19 November, arriving by 10 December

376-584: Checks mailed between 15 November and 3 December, arriving by 24 December

585-719: Checks mailed between 29 November and 17 December, arriving by 7 January

720-927: Checks mailed between 13 December and 31 December, arriving by 21 January

928-999: Checks mailed between 27 December and 11 January, arriving by 1 February

If you are already past the expected date of arrival for your Golden State stimulus check you may need to contact the CFTB to explain the situation, which can be done in a number of ways.

You can call their offices, weekdays, from 8am to 5pm, on 800-852-5711. If you are outside the United States, you can get in touch on 916-845-6500.

If you prefer to contact the CFTB online you can use their online chat function on the MyFTB online portal.

Alternatively, you can write to them through the mail, sending any correspondence to:

Franchise Tax Board

PO Box 942840

Sacramento CA 94240-0040