Requirements for WIC
Who Can Receive Benefits?
WIC is available to:
- Women who are currently pregnant, postpartum (up to 6 months after the end of a pregnancy), or breastfeeding (up to the infant’s first birthday)
- Infants
- Children (up to their fifth birthday)
Location
You must apply through a WIC agency in your area. You might have several options for where and how to apply, including online.
If you are a U.S. service member, military family member, civilian employee, or Department of War contractor and your family is stationed overseas, contact the WIC Overseas Program for information on benefits for the women, infants, and children in your family.
If the women, infants, and children in your family live in the U.S., use the WIC Eligibility Tool and get connected with a local WIC office.
Income
If you or children in your care receive Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), you may already be income eligible for WIC.
If you don’t participate in one of these programs, your income must be at or below WIC limits. It’s easy to check using the chart below.
Nutrition Assessment
All applicants must receive a free, simple health check by WIC staff before they are enrolled. WIC professionals use this information to personalize your benefits and services.
WIC Income Requirements
Select your household size, then use the chart below to see if you meet WIC income requirements.
Your household is everyone you live with and share income and expenses with. This includes children, people you aren’t related to, students away at college, and military service members even if they are away on active duty. If someone in your household is pregnant, you may increase your household size by one for each expected birth.
The information below will give you an idea if you might be eligible for WIC.
Note: If you or children in your care receive Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), you may already be income eligible for WIC and can skip this step.
To be income eligible for WIC, your total household income must be at or below the amounts in the following table.
| Annual | Monthly | Twice Monthly | Bi-weekly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Add up all sources of income from household members, including:
- Wages and tips (before tax and deductions)
- Social security
- Child support and alimony
- Unemployment benefits
- Worker's compensation
- Retirement payments
- Disability benefits
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Explore WIC Benefits
WIC provides healthy foods, personalized nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to other services to support you and your family.
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How to Apply
You can apply to receive benefits from a WIC agency in your area. Learn more about signing up to join the WIC family.