Moving to or from California with WIC
Moving TO California
Moving to California with WIC? Bring a Verification of Certification (VOC) from your old clinic and California Department of Public Health must honor it — you keep your certification without a new income screening until the period ends.
Leaving California
Before leaving California, ask your WIC clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC). Every other state is federally required to accept it, so your certification continues after the move.
Official agency: California Department of Public Health ↗ (application page)
California WIC at a glance
| Program name | California WIC |
|---|---|
| Income limit | 185% of the federal poverty level (federal, same in every state) |
| Accepts VOC transfer card | Yes (federally required) |
| Processing | up to 20 days |
Common questions
Who runs WIC in California?
California Department of Public Health, which runs the program as California WIC. The official page and application link are cited below — always act through them.
Does California make new residents wait for WIC?
No state may impose a residency waiting period for WIC. You apply as soon as you live in California; eligibility is decided on California's own rules.
Where do I report that I'm leaving California?
Tell your local WIC clinic you are moving out of state — California policy (WPPM 250-10) requires staff to print and sign a Verification of Certification (VOC) from WIC WISE and issue it to you before you leave. If you have already moved, your old clinic or CDPH/WIC must send the VOC to you or your new agency on request; no consent form is required.
Every move involving California
From California to…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To California from…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified.
- CDPH — WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- MyFamily — California WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- CDPH WPPM 250-10 Verification of Certification (rev. 2025-04-15) — accessed 2026-08-08