Transferring WIC from New Hampshire to Massachusetts
Ask for one thing before the move: the VOC card. Federal WIC rules (7 CFR 246.7) require every state to accept it as proof of your certification. Once in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Department of Public Health transfers you in at an appointment — no new income screening until your current period ends.
Official Massachusetts WIC agency: Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
New Hampshire vs Massachusetts: the numbers that decide it
| New Hampshire (old state) | Massachusetts (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | New Hampshire WIC | Massachusetts WIC |
| Agency | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services | Massachusetts 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 New Hampshire → Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Massachusetts 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 New Hampshire?
Call your old New Hampshire clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Massachusetts Department of Public Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Massachusetts. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Massachusetts approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my New Hampshire WIC benefits card work in Massachusetts?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the New Hampshire card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Massachusetts Department of Public Health reissues the food benefits on Massachusetts's system.
Where do I actually apply in Massachusetts?
Through Massachusetts Department of Public Health (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Massachusetts to New Hampshire WIC
- WIC in New Hampshire: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Massachusetts: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- New Hampshire to Pennsylvania WIC
- New Hampshire to North Dakota WIC
- New Hampshire to New Jersey WIC
- New Hampshire to Montana WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: New Hampshire to Massachusetts
- SNAP: New Hampshire to Massachusetts
- Unemployment: New Hampshire to Massachusetts
- TANF: New Hampshire to Massachusetts
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 .
- NH DHHS WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA — Massachusetts WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mass.gov — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08