Transferring WIC from Alaska to Colorado
Your WIC certification survives the move — the food benefits switch systems. Request a VOC card from your Alaska clinic before you go; it is your proof of enrollment. In Colorado, book an appointment with Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, bring the VOC and your new address, and benefits resume.
Official Colorado WIC agency: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before leaving Alaska, ask your local WIC clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card; the new state must accept it and honor the rest of your certification period (7 CFR 246.7).
Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance ↗
Moving week
- 2
Carry the VOC with your moving documents
Your current state's WIC food benefits stop working after you leave its issuing system, but the VOC keeps your certification alive.
After you arrive
- 3
Contact Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and book a transfer appointment
Bring the VOC and proof of your new address. The new clinic must accept a valid VOC as proof of eligibility for the rest of your certification period, so you do not repeat the income screening; if it has a waiting list, transferring participants go to the top of it. Stated timing: up to 20 days.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
Alaska vs Colorado: the numbers that decide it
| Alaska (old state) | Colorado (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Alaska WIC | Colorado WIC |
| Agency | Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance | Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment |
| Income limit | 185% of the federal poverty level (the federal maximum); met automatically if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF | 185% of the federal poverty level (the federal maximum); met automatically if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF |
| Accepts VOC transfer card | Yes (federally required) | Yes (federally required) |
Moving with more than one benefit?
The checklist generator merges Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and TANF into one ordered to-do list for this exact move.
Build the full Alaska → Colorado checklistCommon questions
What exactly is the VOC card?
The Verification of Certification is a document your current WIC clinic issues that proves you are certified. Federal rules (7 CFR 246.7) require every state agency to accept it as proof of eligibility, so Colorado enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Colorado clinic has a waiting list, a transferring participant with a VOC goes to the top of it.
What if I forgot to get a VOC before leaving Alaska?
Call your old Alaska clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Colorado. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Colorado approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Alaska WIC benefits card work in Colorado?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Alaska card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment reissues the food benefits on Colorado's system.
Where do I actually apply in Colorado?
Through Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Colorado to Alaska WIC
- WIC in Alaska: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Colorado: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Alaska to Illinois WIC
- Alaska to Florida WIC
- Alaska to Massachusetts WIC
- Alaska to Kentucky WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Alaska to Colorado
- SNAP: Alaska to Colorado
- Unemployment: Alaska to Colorado
- TANF: Alaska to Colorado
Terms on this page: Federal poverty level (FPL) · Verification of Certification (VOC) · Certification period
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified .
- USDA FNS — Alaska WIC contacts — accessed 2026-08-08
- Alaska DOH — WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado WIC (CDPHE) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado WIC — Find a WIC Clinic — accessed 2026-08-08