Transferring WIC from Vermont to South Carolina
Your WIC certification survives the move — the food benefits switch systems. Request a VOC card from your Vermont clinic before you go; it is your proof of enrollment. In South Carolina, book an appointment with South Carolina Department of Public Health, bring the VOC and your new address, and benefits resume.
Official South Carolina WIC agency: South Carolina 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 Vermont, 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.
Vermont 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 South Carolina 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.
South Carolina Department of Public Health ↗
Vermont vs South Carolina: the numbers that decide it
| Vermont (old state) | South Carolina (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Vermont WIC | South Carolina WIC |
| Agency | Vermont Department of Health | South Carolina 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 Vermont → South Carolina 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 South Carolina enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the South Carolina 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 Vermont?
Call your old Vermont clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for South Carolina Department of Public Health directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in South Carolina. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once South Carolina approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Vermont WIC benefits card work in South Carolina?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Vermont card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; South Carolina Department of Public Health reissues the food benefits on South Carolina's system.
Where do I actually apply in South Carolina?
Through South Carolina Department of Public Health. Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: South Carolina to Vermont WIC
- WIC in Vermont: leaving or arriving
- WIC in South Carolina: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Vermont to Iowa WIC
- Vermont to Hawaii WIC
- Vermont to Minnesota WIC
- Vermont to Maine WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Vermont to South Carolina
- SNAP: Vermont to South Carolina
- Unemployment: Vermont to South Carolina
- TANF: Vermont to South Carolina
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 .
- Vermont Department of Health — WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont WIC — Apply to WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNS — South Carolina WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08
- SC Department of Public Health — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08