Transferring WIC from North Dakota to Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) transfers you in at an appointment — no new income screening until your current period ends.
Official Pennsylvania WIC agency: Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave North Dakota, 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. ND WIC statewide line: (800) 472-2286.
North Dakota 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 Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 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 ↗
North Dakota vs Pennsylvania: the numbers that decide it
| North Dakota (old state) | Pennsylvania (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | North Dakota WIC | Pennsylvania WIC |
| Agency | North Dakota Health and Human Services | Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) |
| 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 North Dakota → Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Pennsylvania 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 North Dakota?
Call your old North Dakota clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Pennsylvania. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Pennsylvania approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my North Dakota WIC benefits card work in Pennsylvania?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the North Dakota card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) reissues the food benefits on Pennsylvania's system.
Where do I actually apply in Pennsylvania?
Through Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Pennsylvania to North Dakota WIC
- WIC in North Dakota: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Pennsylvania: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- North Dakota to Kentucky WIC
- North Dakota to Illinois WIC
- North Dakota to Missouri WIC
- North Dakota to Massachusetts WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: North Dakota to Pennsylvania
- SNAP: North Dakota to Pennsylvania
- Unemployment: North Dakota to Pennsylvania
- TANF: North Dakota to Pennsylvania
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 .
- North Dakota HHS WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND WIC — apply — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA — request WIC pre-application appointment — accessed 2026-08-08