Transferring WIC from Colorado to Washington
The move does not cost you WIC. Your Colorado clinic issues a Verification of Certification on request, and that document enrolls you with Washington State Department of Health in Washington for the rest of your certification period. Without it you can still apply fresh, but the VOC skips the income re-check.
Official Washington WIC agency: Washington State 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 Washington State 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 Washington: the numbers that decide it
| Colorado (old state) | Washington (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Colorado WIC | Washington WIC |
| Agency | Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment | Washington State 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 → Washington 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 Washington enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Washington 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 Washington State Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Washington. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Washington approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Colorado WIC benefits card work in Washington?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Colorado card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Washington State Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Washington's system.
Where do I actually apply in Washington?
Through Washington State 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: Washington to Colorado WIC
- WIC in Colorado: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Washington: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Colorado to Iowa WIC
- Colorado to Maine WIC
- Colorado to Minnesota WIC
- Colorado to Nebraska WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Colorado to Washington
- SNAP: Colorado to Washington
- Unemployment: Colorado to Washington
- TANF: Colorado to Washington
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
- WA Department of Health — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- WA WIC — Apply for WIC — accessed 2026-08-08