Transferring WIC from Alaska to Ohio
WIC is the one benefit that travels well. Before leaving Alaska, ask your clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card — every state must accept it. Hand it to Ohio Department of Health at a transfer appointment and your certification continues in Ohio without a new income screening.
Official Ohio WIC agency: Ohio Department of Health ↗
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 Ohio Department of Health 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.
Ohio Department of Health ↗
Alaska vs Ohio: the numbers that decide it
| Alaska (old state) | Ohio (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Alaska WIC | Ohio WIC |
| Agency | Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Assistance | Ohio Department of Health |
| 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 → Ohio 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 Ohio enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Ohio 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 Ohio Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Ohio. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Ohio approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Alaska WIC benefits card work in Ohio?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Alaska card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Ohio Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Ohio's system.
Where do I actually apply in Ohio?
Through Ohio Department of Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Ohio to Alaska WIC
- WIC in Alaska: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Ohio: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Alaska to Missouri WIC
- Alaska to Massachusetts WIC
- Alaska to North Carolina WIC
- Alaska to New Hampshire WIC
Other benefits on the same move
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
- Ohio Department of Health WIC — accessed 2026-08-08