Transferring WIC from Colorado to Louisiana
Unlike Medicaid or SNAP, WIC has a real transfer mechanism: the Verification of Certification. Get one from your Colorado clinic, then contact Louisiana Department of Health for a transfer appointment. With a valid VOC, Louisiana enrolls you without re-checking income until your certification period runs out.
Official Louisiana WIC agency: Louisiana Department of Health ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before leaving Colorado, 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). When transferring into a Colorado clinic, bring proof of identity in addition to the VOC.
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment ↗
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 Louisiana 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.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
Colorado vs Louisiana: the numbers that decide it
| Colorado (old state) | Louisiana (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Colorado WIC | Louisiana WIC |
| Agency | Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment | Louisiana 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 Colorado → Louisiana 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 Louisiana enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Louisiana 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 Colorado?
Call your old Colorado clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Louisiana Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Louisiana. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Louisiana approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Colorado WIC benefits card work in Louisiana?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Colorado card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Louisiana Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Louisiana's system.
Where do I actually apply in Louisiana?
Through Louisiana Department of Health (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Louisiana to Colorado WIC
- WIC in Colorado: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Louisiana: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Colorado to Montana WIC
- Colorado to Michigan WIC
- Colorado to North Dakota WIC
- Colorado to New Jersey WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Colorado to Louisiana
- SNAP: Colorado to Louisiana
- Unemployment: Colorado to Louisiana
- TANF: Colorado to Louisiana
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 .
- Colorado WIC (CDPHE) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado WIC — Find a WIC Clinic — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana WIC (Louisiana Department of Health) — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA — Louisiana WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08