Skip to main content
State of Wisconsin flag

Official website of the State of Wisconsin

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

WIC: Who is Eligible?

WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) helps Wisconsin families. This includes dads and other caregivers. You must meet certain conditions to get WIC benefits.

Apply for WIC

Do I qualify?

To get WIC benefits, you must:

  • Live in Wisconsin.
  • Make a certain amount of money (See Table 1 below).
  • Need help with health or nutrition.
  • Have one of these apply to you:
    • You are pregnant now or had a baby in the past six months.
    • You are breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age.
    • You care for a baby or child younger than 5 years of age.

You may be able to get WIC benefits if you already use one of these programs:

Try this WIC prescreening tool. Answer questions to see if you may be able to get WIC benefits.

What are WIC income guidelines?

Many working families are part of WIC. There are limits on how much money WIC families can make based on:

  • Family Size—How many adults live with you? They can be relatives but don’t have to be. You often share money, food, and other things in your house with them.
  • Gross Household Income—How much money do you make before taxes or deductions? This includes any money you make. For example:
    • Job
    • Child support
    • Overtime
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Unemployment

Income guide

The WIC Income Eligibility Table (PDF) shows the most money your household can make and still get WIC benefits.

WIC Income Guidelines July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023

Number of Person(s)
in Household
Gross Household Income
Weekly Bi-weekly Monthly Annual

1

$484 $967 $2,095 $25,142
2 652 1,303 2,823 33,874
3 820 1,639 3,551 42,606
4 988 1,975 4,279 51,338
5 1,156 2,311 5,006 60,070
6 1,324 2,647 5,734 68,802
7 1,492 2,983 6,462 77,534
8 1,659 3,318 7,189 86,266
For each additional member add: +168 +336 +728 +8,732

Notes:

What can I expect when I apply for WIC?

If you think you qualify for WIC, contact your local WIC Office. They will schedule your first appointment at the clinic. All WIC participants must attend.

WIC staff will look at your health and nutrition. This is called a screening. Screenings often include:

  • Height and weight
  • Questions about your health and diet
  • A finger stick to see how much iron is in your blood

Anything you share with the WIC staff is private. WIC staff will ask you to state your race and ethnicity. This is for WIC records. It does not affect your WIC application.

WIC staff will not ask about your immigration status. You don’t have to be a legal resident of the U.S. to get WIC benefits.

What do I bring to my first WIC appointment?

You must bring some documents to your first WIC appointment. These include:

Proof of identity (ID)

You must show an ID for you and each child getting WIC benefits. IDs can include:

  • Alien card
  • Birth certificate
  • Driver’s license
  • Hospital ID or proof of birth, like hospital discharge papers, crib card, or wrist band
  • Military ID
  • Passport
  • Tribal ID card

If you do not have any of these forms of ID, talk to your WIC office.

Proof of address

You must prove that you live in Wisconsin. Proof of your address can include:

  • Current utility bill with a street address (Not a P.O. box)
  • A rent or mortgage receipt

Proof of income

You must bring proof of any money you and the people you live with make. This can include:

  • A letter showing that you are in one of these programs:
    • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
    • FoodShare
    • Foster care and Kinship Care
    • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
    • Wisconsin Works Program (W2)
  • Pay stubs from the last 30 days. For example:
    • 4 pay stubs if you get paid each week
    • 2 pay stubs if you get paid every other week
    • 1 pay stub if you get paid each month
  • Proof of other income. This includes:
    • Child support o Social security
    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Unemployment

Proof of pregnancy (if pregnant)

If you are having a baby, you can bring:

  • A letter from your doctor
  • An ultrasound with your name and date on it

Do not bring a home pregnancy test.

What happens if I am approved for WIC?

If you are approved to get WIC benefits, you will get an eWIC card. This card lets you buy healthy foods from the grocery store. You will talk with WIC every three months to:

  • Find out where you can get health care and help for other things your family may need.
  • Get more foods benefits.
  • Learn about nutrition.

Learn more about WIC

Last revised June 29, 2022