The USDA Food and Nutrition Administration sets federal WIC rules, but the agency serving your location schedules the appointment, tells you what to provide, and decides continued eligibility.
When to start
Use the date and response instructions in the notice from your WIC clinic or agency. Certification periods differ by participant category and circumstances, so there is no single national renewal date that applies to everyone. Contact the clinic promptly if you did not receive a notice or cannot make the scheduled appointment.
What the agency reviews again
- Participant category: pregnancy, postpartum or breastfeeding status, or the age and status of an infant or child.
- Residence: where the participant routinely lives and which WIC agency serves that location.
- Income: current income information or qualifying participation in another program when the agency uses adjunctive eligibility.
- Nutritional risk: an assessment completed by a qualified WIC professional using applicable medical, growth, or dietary information.
Prepare for recertification
- Read the clinic notice and confirm the appointment date, format, and participants who must attend.
- Gather the identity, residence, income or program-participation information the clinic requests.
- Have current pregnancy, infant, child, health, growth, or dietary information available when requested.
- Complete the appointment and answer questions accurately.
- Review the new certification period, benefit instructions, food package, future contacts, and next renewal date.
In-person or virtual appointment
FNA says WIC agencies may schedule an in-person or virtual appointment. Federal physical-presence rules still apply unless the agency has an approved waiver or another permitted exception. The local WIC agency must tell you which format is available and whether a participant must be present.
If information is missing
Contact the clinic before the deadline. Do not assume that an old document, a document accepted by a different jurisdiction, or participation in another program automatically completes recertification. The agency may allow specific alternatives, but its instructions control.
Cost
WIC certification and recertification are provided without an application fee.
What happens after the appointment
The agency will determine whether the participant remains eligible and provide the applicable notice. If eligibility continues, follow the new benefit and appointment schedule. If the agency denies or ends participation, read the notice for the reason and fair-hearing instructions.
Official sources
- FNA — How to apply for WIC
- FNA — WIC frequently asked questions
- FNA — WIC virtual-service and physical-presence waivers
- 7 CFR 246.7 — Certification of participants