Transferring WIC from Mississippi to Oregon
WIC transfers through the VOC card. Ask your current Mississippi clinic for a Verification of Certification before leaving; Oregon is federally required to accept it in place of a new eligibility screening. Your Mississippi-issued food benefits stop working, but the certification itself moves intact.
Official Oregon WIC agency: Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave Mississippi, 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). MSDH directs VOC questions to (601) 991-6000 or toll-free 1-800-545-6747.
Mississippi State 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 Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division 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 ↗
Mississippi vs Oregon: the numbers that decide it
| Mississippi (old state) | Oregon (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Mississippi WIC | Oregon WIC |
| Agency | Mississippi State Department of Health | Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division |
| 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 Mississippi → Oregon 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 Oregon enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Oregon 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 Mississippi?
Call your old Mississippi clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Oregon. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Oregon approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Mississippi WIC benefits card work in Oregon?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Mississippi card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division reissues the food benefits on Oregon's system.
Where do I actually apply in Oregon?
Through Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Oregon to Mississippi WIC
- WIC in Mississippi: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Oregon: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Mississippi to Montana WIC
- Mississippi to New Jersey WIC
- Mississippi to Louisiana WIC
- Mississippi to Michigan WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Mississippi to Oregon
- SNAP: Mississippi to Oregon
- Unemployment: Mississippi to Oregon
- TANF: Mississippi to Oregon
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 .
- MSDH — WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA — Mississippi WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- Oregon Health Authority WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Oregon WIC clinic/county lookup — accessed 2026-08-08