Transferring WIC from Tennessee to Vermont
The move does not cost you WIC. Your Tennessee clinic issues a Verification of Certification on request, and that document enrolls you with Vermont Department of Health in Vermont for the rest of your certification period. Without it you can still apply fresh, but the VOC skips the income re-check.
Official Vermont WIC agency: Vermont Department of Health ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave Tennessee, request a Verification of Certification (VOC) for each participant — Tennessee WIC directs participants to call 1-800-DIAL-WIC (1-800-342-5942) to request a VOC. 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.
Tennessee 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 Vermont 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.
Find a clinic / apply ↗
Tennessee vs Vermont: the numbers that decide it
| Tennessee (old state) | Vermont (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Tennessee WIC | Vermont WIC |
| Agency | Tennessee Department of Health | Vermont 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 Tennessee → Vermont 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 Vermont enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Vermont 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 Tennessee?
Call your old Tennessee clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Vermont Department of Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Vermont. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Vermont approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Tennessee WIC benefits card work in Vermont?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Tennessee card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Vermont Department of Health reissues the food benefits on Vermont's system.
Where do I actually apply in Vermont?
Through Vermont Department of Health (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Vermont to Tennessee WIC
- WIC in Tennessee: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Vermont: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Tennessee to Missouri WIC
- Tennessee to New Hampshire WIC
- Tennessee to Kentucky WIC
- Tennessee to Massachusetts WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Tennessee to Vermont
- SNAP: Tennessee to Vermont
- Unemployment: Tennessee to Vermont
- TANF: Tennessee to Vermont
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 .
- TN Department of Health — Tennessee WIC Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont WIC — Apply to WIC — accessed 2026-08-08