Transferring WIC from South Dakota to Hawaii
WIC transfers through the VOC card. Ask your current South Dakota clinic for a Verification of Certification before leaving; Hawaii is federally required to accept it in place of a new eligibility screening. Your South Dakota-issued food benefits stop working, but the certification itself moves intact.
Official Hawaii WIC agency: Hawaii Department of Health ↗
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave South Dakota, ask your local WIC office for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card for each participant — federal rules (7 CFR 246.7) require your new state to accept it, so your WIC certification moves with you. Then contact a WIC clinic in your new state to transfer.
South Dakota 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 Hawaii 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.
Hawaii Department of Health ↗
South Dakota vs Hawaii: the numbers that decide it
| South Dakota (old state) | Hawaii (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | South Dakota WIC | Hawaii WIC |
| Agency | South Dakota Department of Health | Hawaii 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 South Dakota → Hawaii 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 Hawaii enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Hawaii 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 South Dakota?
Call your old South Dakota clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Hawaii Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Hawaii. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Hawaii approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my South Dakota WIC benefits card work in Hawaii?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the South Dakota card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Hawaii Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Hawaii's system.
Where do I actually apply in Hawaii?
Through Hawaii Department of Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Hawaii to South Dakota WIC
- WIC in South Dakota: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Hawaii: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- South Dakota to Iowa WIC
- South Dakota to Maine WIC
- South Dakota to Minnesota WIC
- South Dakota to Virginia WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: South Dakota to Hawaii
- SNAP: South Dakota to Hawaii
- Unemployment: South Dakota to Hawaii
- TANF: South Dakota to Hawaii
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 .
- SD Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- SD WIC portal — Apply for WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNS — Hawaii WIC contacts — accessed 2026-08-08
- Hawaii DOH — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08