Transferring WIC from Ohio to Georgia
WIC transfers through the VOC card. Ask your current Ohio clinic for a Verification of Certification before leaving; Georgia is federally required to accept it in place of a new eligibility screening. Your Ohio-issued food benefits stop working, but the certification itself moves intact.
Official Georgia WIC agency: Georgia Department of Public Health ↗
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave Ohio, ask your local county 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. Ohio WIC operates through local agencies in all 88 counties; statewide clinic-appointment line: 1-800-686-1754.
Ohio 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 Georgia Department of Public 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.
Georgia Department of Public Health ↗
Ohio vs Georgia: the numbers that decide it
| Ohio (old state) | Georgia (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Ohio WIC | Georgia WIC |
| Agency | Ohio Department of Health | Georgia Department of Public 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 Ohio → Georgia 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 Georgia enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Georgia 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 Ohio?
Call your old Ohio clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Georgia Department of Public Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Georgia. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Georgia approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Ohio WIC benefits card work in Georgia?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Ohio card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Georgia Department of Public Health reissues the food benefits on Georgia's system.
Where do I actually apply in Georgia?
Through Georgia Department of Public Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Georgia to Ohio WIC
- WIC in Ohio: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Georgia: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Ohio to Mississippi WIC
- Ohio to Nevada WIC
- Ohio to New York WIC
- Ohio to Oklahoma WIC
Other benefits on the same move
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 .
- Ohio Department of Health WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia DPH — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia WIC Policy CT-850.01 Transfer of Certification — accessed 2026-08-08