Transferring WIC from New Hampshire to California
WIC follows you if you carry the paperwork. Before leaving New Hampshire, get the VOC card from your clinic; after arriving, schedule with California Department of Public Health. The VOC is honored in all states, the income limit is identical everywhere (185% of the federal poverty level), and enrollment continues.
Official California WIC agency: California Department of Public Health ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Tell your local NH WIC clinic you are moving and ask for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card before you leave — NH clinics issue the VOC when you report a planned move, and your benefits continue in the new state until your certification period expires. Federal rules (7 CFR 246.7) require the new state to accept the VOC. State WIC agency phone: 1-800-942-4321.
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services ↗
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 California Department of Public Health and book a transfer appointment
Bring the VOC and proof of your new address. With a valid VOC you are enrolled without a new income screening until your current certification period ends. Stated timing: up to 20 days.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
New Hampshire vs California: the numbers that decide it
| New Hampshire (old state) | California (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | New Hampshire WIC | California WIC |
| Agency | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services | California Department of Public Health |
| Income limit | 185% of the federal poverty level (federal, same in every state) | 185% of the federal poverty level (federal, same in every state) |
| Accepts VOC transfer card | Yes (federally required) | Yes (federally required) |
Verified 2026-08-08 (New Hampshire) and 2026-08-08 (California) against the official sources cited below.
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 New Hampshire → California 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, so California enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends.
What if I forgot to get a VOC before leaving New Hampshire?
Call your old New Hampshire clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for California Department of Public Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in California; WIC's income limit is the same 185% of the federal poverty level in every state.
Will my New Hampshire WIC benefits card work in California?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the New Hampshire card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; California Department of Public Health reissues the food benefits on California's system.
Where do I actually apply in California?
Through California Department of Public Health (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified.
- NH DHHS WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- CDPH — WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- MyFamily — California WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- CDPH WPPM 250-10 Verification of Certification (rev. 2025-04-15) — accessed 2026-08-08