Transferring WIC from New Hampshire to New York
WIC is the one benefit that travels well. Before leaving New Hampshire, ask your clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card — every state must accept it. Hand it to New York State Department of Health at a transfer appointment and your certification continues in New York without a new income screening.
Official New York WIC agency: New York State Department of 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 New York State 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.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
New Hampshire vs New York: the numbers that decide it
| New Hampshire (old state) | New York (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | New Hampshire WIC | New York WIC |
| Agency | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services | New York State 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 New Hampshire → New York 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 New York enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the New York 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 New York State Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in New York. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once New York approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my New Hampshire WIC benefits card work in New York?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the New Hampshire card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; New York State Department of Health reissues the food benefits on New York's system.
Where do I actually apply in New York?
Through New York State Department of Health (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: New York to New Hampshire WIC
- WIC in New Hampshire: leaving or arriving
- WIC in New York: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- New Hampshire to Maryland WIC
- New Hampshire to Kansas WIC
- New Hampshire to Nevada WIC
- New Hampshire to Mississippi WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: New Hampshire to New York
- SNAP: New Hampshire to New York
- Unemployment: New Hampshire to New York
- TANF: New Hampshire to New York
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
- NYSDOH WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08