Transferring WIC from Washington to Maine
WIC is the one benefit that travels well. Before leaving Washington, ask your clinic for a Verification of Certification (VOC) card — every state must accept it. Hand it to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) at a transfer appointment and your certification continues in Maine without a new income screening.
Official Maine WIC agency: Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Ask your current WIC clinic for a VOC card
Before you leave Washington, ask your local WIC clinic 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. Washington's WIC pages link the USDA WIC clinic locator for finding a clinic in another state. Then contact a WIC clinic in your new state to transfer.
Washington State 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 Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) 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 ↗
Washington vs Maine: the numbers that decide it
| Washington (old state) | Maine (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Washington WIC | Maine WIC |
| Agency | Washington State Department of Health | Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) |
| 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 Washington → Maine 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 Maine enrolls you without a new income screening until your certification period ends. If the Maine 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 Washington?
Call your old Washington clinic — many can send the VOC or verify your certification for Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) directly. If that fails, you can apply fresh in Maine. The federal income test is 185% of the poverty guidelines in every state, and you meet it automatically once Maine approves you for SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF.
Will my Washington WIC benefits card work in Maine?
No — WIC benefits are issued on each state's own system, so the Washington card stops working. Your certification transfers via the VOC; Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) reissues the food benefits on Maine's system.
Where do I actually apply in Maine?
Through Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine DHHS) (online application linked above). Official WIC pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Maine to Washington WIC
- WIC in Washington: leaving or arriving
- WIC in Maine: leaving or arriving
- Moving with WIC: every state
- Washington to New Jersey WIC
- Washington to Montana WIC
- Washington to Michigan WIC
- Washington to Louisiana WIC
Other benefits on the same move
- Medicaid: Washington to Maine
- SNAP: Washington to Maine
- Unemployment: Washington to Maine
- TANF: Washington to Maine
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 .
- WA Department of Health — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- WA WIC — Apply for WIC — accessed 2026-08-08
- Maine CDC — WIC Nutrition Program — accessed 2026-08-08
- USDA FNA — Maine WIC state agency contact — accessed 2026-08-08