Transferring WIC from District of Columbia to Tennessee
Yes, with one document. Your District of Columbia WIC clinic issues a VOC (Verification of Certification) on request, federal rules require Tennessee to honor it, and your enrollment carries to Tennessee Department of Health until your current certification period ends. Get the VOC before the move — it saves re-proving income.
Official Tennessee WIC agency: Tennessee Department of Health ↗
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before leaving the District, ask your 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).
DC Health (District of Columbia Department of Health) ↗
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 Tennessee 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.
Tennessee Department of Health ↗
District of Columbia vs Tennessee: the numbers that decide it
| District of Columbia (old state) | Tennessee (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | DC WIC | Tennessee WIC |
| Agency | DC Health (District of Columbia Department of Health) | Tennessee 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 District of Columbia → Tennessee 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 Tennessee enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Tennessee 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 District of Columbia?
Call your old District of Columbia clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Tennessee Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Tennessee. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Tennessee approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my District of Columbia WIC benefits card work in Tennessee?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the District of Columbia card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Tennessee Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Tennessee's system.
Where do I actually apply in Tennessee?
Through Tennessee Department of Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Tennessee to District of Columbia WIC
- WIC in District of Columbia: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Tennessee: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- District of Columbia to Rhode Island WIC
- District of Columbia to Texas WIC
- District of Columbia to New Mexico WIC
- District of Columbia to Ohio WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: District of Columbia to Tennessee
- SNAP: District of Columbia to Tennessee
- Unemployment: District of Columbia to Tennessee
- TANF: District of Columbia to Tennessee
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 .
- DC WIC (DC Health) — accessed 2026-08-08
- DC WIC — Clinic Locations — accessed 2026-08-08
- TN Department of Health — Tennessee WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08