Transferring WIC from Louisiana to South Carolina
WIC is the one benefit that travels well. Before leaving Louisiana, ask your clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card — every state must accept it. Hand it to South Carolina Department of Public Health at a transfer appointment and your certification continues in South Carolina without a new income screening.
Official South Carolina WIC agency: South Carolina Department of Public Health ↗
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave Louisiana, ask your local WIC clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card for each enrolled family member — every state must accept a valid VOC (7 CFR 246.7). Statewide WIC info line: 1-800-251-2229.
Louisiana 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 South Carolina Department of Public 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.
South Carolina Department of Public Health ↗
Louisiana vs South Carolina: the numbers that decide it
| Louisiana (old state) | South Carolina (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Louisiana WIC | South Carolina WIC |
| Agency | Louisiana Department of Health | South Carolina Department of Public 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 Louisiana → South Carolina 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 South Carolina enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the South Carolina 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 Louisiana?
Call your old Louisiana clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for South Carolina Department of Public Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in South Carolina. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once South Carolina approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Louisiana WIC benefits card work in South Carolina?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Louisiana card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; South Carolina Department of Public Health reissues the food benefits on South Carolina's system.
Where do I actually apply in South Carolina?
Through South Carolina Department of Public Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: South Carolina to Louisiana WIC
- WIC in Louisiana: leaving or arriving
- WIC in South Carolina: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Louisiana to Tennessee WIC
- Louisiana to Pennsylvania WIC
- Louisiana to Wyoming WIC
- Louisiana to Virginia WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Louisiana to South Carolina
- SNAP: Louisiana to South Carolina
- Unemployment: Louisiana to South Carolina
- TANF: Louisiana to South Carolina
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 .
- Louisiana WIC (Louisiana Department of Health) — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA — Louisiana WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNS — South Carolina WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- SC Department of Public Health — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08