Transferring WIC from New Hampshire to Tennessee
Unlike Medicaid or SNAP, WIC has a real transfer mechanism: the Verification of Certification. Get one from your New Hampshire clinic, then contact Tennessee Department of Health for a transfer appointment. With a valid VOC, Tennessee enrolls you without re-checking income until your certification period runs out.
Official Tennessee WIC agency: Tennessee Department of Health ↗
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 Tennessee 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.
Tennessee Department of Health ↗
New Hampshire vs Tennessee: the numbers that decide it
| New Hampshire (old state) | Tennessee (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | New Hampshire WIC | Tennessee WIC |
| Agency | New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services | Tennessee 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 → Tennessee 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 Tennessee enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Tennessee 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 Tennessee Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Tennessee. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Tennessee approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my New Hampshire WIC benefits card work in Tennessee?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the New Hampshire card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Tennessee Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Tennessee's system.
Where do I actually apply in Tennessee?
Through Tennessee Department of Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Tennessee to New Hampshire WIC
- WIC in New Hampshire: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Tennessee: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- New Hampshire to Oklahoma WIC
- New Hampshire to New York WIC
- New Hampshire to Utah WIC
- New Hampshire to South Carolina WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: New Hampshire to Tennessee
- SNAP: New Hampshire to Tennessee
- Unemployment: New Hampshire to Tennessee
- TANF: New Hampshire to Tennessee
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
- TN Department of Health — Tennessee WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08