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