Transferring WIC from South Dakota to Pennsylvania
WIC is the one benefit that travels well. Before leaving South Dakota, ask your clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card — every state must accept it. Hand it to Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) at a transfer appointment and your certification continues in Pennsylvania without a new income screening.
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 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 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 ↗
South Dakota vs Pennsylvania: the numbers that decide it
| South Dakota (old state) | Pennsylvania (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | South Dakota WIC | Pennsylvania WIC |
| Agency | South Dakota 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 South 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 South Dakota?
Call your old South 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 South Dakota WIC benefits card work in Pennsylvania?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the South 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 South Dakota WIC
- WIC in South Dakota: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Pennsylvania: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- South Dakota to South Carolina WIC
- South Dakota to Oklahoma WIC
- South Dakota to New York WIC
- South Dakota to Nevada WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: South Dakota to Pennsylvania
- SNAP: South Dakota to Pennsylvania
- Unemployment: South Dakota to Pennsylvania
- TANF: South 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 .
- SD Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- SD WIC portal — Apply for WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA — request WIC pre-application appointment — accessed 2026-08-08