New Jersey WIC: 2026–27 Income Limits and Moving In or Out
Moving TO New Jersey
Moving to New Jersey with WIC? Bring a Verification of Certification (VOC) from your old clinic and New Jersey Department of Health must honor it — you keep your certification without a new income screening until the period ends, and if the clinic has a waiting list, you go to the top of it.
Leaving New Jersey
Before leaving New Jersey, ask your WIC clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC). Every other state is federally required to accept it, so your certification continues after the move.
Official agency: New Jersey Department of Health ↗ (application page)
New Jersey WIC at a glance
| Program name | New Jersey WIC |
|---|---|
| Income limit | 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) |
| Processing | Certification is typically completed at the first clinic visit; federal rules require an eligibility decision within 20 days of request. |
New Jersey WIC income limits by household size (2026–27)
New Jersey uses the federal maximum WIC income limit, 185% of the federal poverty level. These figures apply July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
| Household size | Yearly | Monthly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $29,526 | $2,461 | $568 |
| 2 people | $40,034 | $3,337 | $770 |
| 3 people | $50,542 | $4,212 | $972 |
| 4 people | $61,050 | $5,088 | $1,175 |
| 5 people | $71,558 | $5,964 | $1,377 |
| 6 people | $82,066 | $6,839 | $1,579 |
| 7 people | $92,574 | $7,715 | $1,781 |
| 8 people | $103,082 | $8,591 | $1,983 |
| Each additional person | +$10,508 | +$876 | +$203 |
- Computed from the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (48 contiguous states and DC) exactly as USDA's 2026–27 WIC notice does: × 1.85, rounded up to the dollar.
- A pregnant woman counts each unborn child in her household size.
- You automatically meet the WIC income test if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, if your family gets TANF, or if a pregnant woman or infant in your family gets Medicaid.
Federal source: USDA WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines 2026–27 (91 FR 23050) (published 2026-04-29)
How to apply for WIC in New Jersey
Apply with New Jersey Department of Health online at nj.gov. Go to the official application page ↗
Processing time: Certification is typically completed at the first clinic visit; federal rules require an eligibility decision within 20 days of request.
Common questions
What is the WIC income limit in New Jersey?
185% of the federal poverty level: $40,034 a year for a household of two and $61,050 for a household of four, for July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. You also meet the income test automatically if you get SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, if your family gets TANF, or if a pregnant woman or infant in your family gets Medicaid.
Does my New Jersey WIC card work in another state?
Generally no — a WIC card works only at stores authorized by the state that issued it. Before you leave New Jersey, get a Verification of Certification (VOC) from your clinic; the new state's WIC clinic must accept it and enroll you there.
How do I apply for WIC in New Jersey?
Apply with New Jersey Department of Health online at nj.gov. Processing time: certification is typically completed at the first clinic visit; federal rules require an eligibility decision within 20 days of request.
Who runs WIC in New Jersey?
New Jersey Department of Health. The official page and application link are cited below — always act through them.
Does New Jersey make new residents wait for WIC?
No state may impose a residency waiting period for WIC. You apply as soon as you live in New Jersey; eligibility is decided on New Jersey's own rules.
Where do I report that I'm leaving New Jersey?
Before you leave New Jersey, ask your local WIC agency for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card. Federal rules (7 CFR 246.7) require your new state to accept it, so your certification moves with you for the rest of its period. Find your local agency via the NJDOH WIC site or manage your case in the NJ WIC Participant Portal (wic.nj.gov).
Every move involving New Jersey
From New Jersey to…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To New Jersey from…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Other benefits in New Jersey
- Medicaid in New Jersey
- SNAP in New Jersey
- Unemployment in New Jersey
- TANF in New Jersey
- WIC in every state
- State benefits statistics
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 .
- NJ Department of Health WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJ WIC — how to apply — accessed 2026-08-08