Transferring WIC from Ohio to Pennsylvania
Mostly yes. The certification transfers via a VOC card from your Ohio clinic; the benefits themselves are reissued by Pennsylvania's system. Two steps: request the VOC before moving, then bring it (plus proof of your new address) to Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Income is not re-checked just because you moved.
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 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 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 ↗
Ohio vs Pennsylvania: the numbers that decide it
| Ohio (old state) | Pennsylvania (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Ohio WIC | Pennsylvania WIC |
| Agency | Ohio Department of Health | 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 Ohio → 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 Ohio?
Call your old Ohio 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 Ohio WIC benefits card work in Pennsylvania?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Ohio 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 Ohio WIC
- WIC in Ohio: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Pennsylvania: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Ohio to Kansas WIC
- Ohio to Maryland WIC
- Ohio to District of Columbia WIC
- Ohio to Idaho WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Ohio to Pennsylvania
- SNAP: Ohio to Pennsylvania
- Unemployment: Ohio to Pennsylvania
- TANF: Ohio 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 .
- Ohio Department of Health WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA — request WIC pre-application appointment — accessed 2026-08-08