Transferring WIC from New Mexico to Tennessee
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 Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Health transfers you in at an appointment — no new income screening until your current period ends.
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
Before you leave New Mexico, ask your local WIC clinic 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. NM WIC statewide line: 866-867-3124.
New Mexico Department of Health ↗
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 Mexico vs Tennessee: the numbers that decide it
| New Mexico (old state) | Tennessee (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | New Mexico WIC | Tennessee WIC |
| Agency | New Mexico Department of Health | 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 Mexico → 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 Mexico?
Call your old New Mexico 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 Mexico WIC benefits card work in Tennessee?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the New Mexico 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 Mexico WIC
- WIC in New Mexico: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Tennessee: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- New Mexico to Iowa WIC
- New Mexico to Hawaii WIC
- New Mexico to Minnesota WIC
- New Mexico to Maine WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: New Mexico to Tennessee
- SNAP: New Mexico to Tennessee
- Unemployment: New Mexico to Tennessee
- TANF: New Mexico 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 .
- New Mexico WIC (NM DOH) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NM WIC — how to apply — accessed 2026-08-08
- TN Department of Health — Tennessee WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08