Florida WIC provides monthly food benefits, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support to pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children under 5 in households at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. To apply, call the state WIC line at 800-342-3556 (or contact your county health department directly), schedule a certification appointment, and bring proof of identity, Florida residency, and income. Most applicants who meet the income guidelines qualify, and if you already receive Florida Medicaid, SNAP, or Temporary Cash Assistance, you are automatically income-eligible.
Florida WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) is run by the Florida Department of Health and delivered through WIC offices in all 67 counties, plus hospital and community partner sites. There is no single statewide online application the way there is for SNAP through MyACCESS. Applying means getting a certification appointment scheduled with the local office that serves your area. This guide covers who qualifies, the 2026 to 2027 income limits, exactly what to bring, and what happens at the appointment.
Who Qualifies for WIC in Florida
WIC eligibility rests on three things: your category, your household income, and Florida residency. There is no citizenship or immigration status requirement, and applying for WIC is not considered in public charge determinations.
You may qualify if you are:
- Pregnant (at any point in the pregnancy)
- Breastfeeding, up to 1 year after delivery
- Postpartum and not breastfeeding, up to 6 months after delivery
- An infant from birth to 12 months
- A child from age 1 up to the 5th birthday
- A father, grandparent, foster parent, or other primary caregiver applying on behalf of an eligible infant or child
Fathers and other caregivers can apply for and manage a child's WIC benefits even when they are not applying for benefits themselves. Working families qualify all the time. WIC's income cutoff sits well above the limits for most other assistance programs, which is why many households that are turned down for Florida Medicaid still qualify for WIC.
Florida WIC Income Limits 2026
Florida WIC uses 185% of the federal poverty level. The figures below are the USDA income eligibility guidelines in effect July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. WIC counts gross household income, meaning income before taxes and deductions.
| Household Size | Annual Income | Monthly Income | Weekly Income |
|---|
| 1 | $29,526 | $2,461 | $568 |
| 2 | $40,034 | $3,337 | $770 |
| 3 | $50,542 | $4,212 | $972 |
| 4 | $61,050 | $5,088 | $1,175 |
| 5 | $71,558 | $5,964 | $1,377 |
| 6 | $82,066 | $6,839 | $1,579 |
| 7 | $92,574 | $7,715 | $1,781 |
| 8 | $103,082 | $8,591 | $1,983 |
| Each additional person | +$10,508 | +$876 | +$203 |
If you are pregnant, the unborn baby counts as a household member. A pregnant woman living alone is a household of 2 for WIC purposes, so her limit is $40,034 per year rather than $29,526. Twins count as two additional members.
Automatic (Adjunctive) Income Eligibility
You do not have to document income separately if anyone in your household already receives:
- Florida Medicaid
- SNAP (food assistance through MyACCESS)
- Temporary Cash Assistance (Florida's TANF program)
Bring your approval letter, your EBT card, or a Medicaid card to the appointment and the income verification step is handled. This is the fastest route through the process, and it is worth checking before you dig up pay stubs.
What Florida WIC Actually Provides
Approved participants get monthly food benefits loaded onto a Florida WIC EBT card, which is swiped like a debit card at authorized grocery stores. Florida updated its approved food list effective July 1, 2026, so ask for the current printed list at your appointment or check it in the Florida WIC mobile app before you shop.
Typical package contents include:
- Milk, cheese, and yogurt
- Eggs
- Whole grain bread, tortillas, brown rice, oats, and breakfast cereal
- Juice
- Peanut butter, dried beans, peas, or lentils
- Canned fish for fully breastfeeding mothers
- Infant formula, infant cereal, and baby food for infants who are not fully breastfed
- A monthly cash value benefit for fruits and vegetables
The cash value benefit for produce in fiscal year 2026 runs approximately $26 per month for children ages 1 to 4, approximately $47 for pregnant and postpartum women, and $52 for fully breastfeeding women. Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables all count.
Beyond food, WIC includes individual nutrition counseling, breastfeeding education and access to breast pumps through the peer counselor program, and referrals to Medicaid, SNAP, Florida KidCare, immunization clinics, and other services.
How to Apply for WIC in Florida: Step by Step
Step 1: Check Eligibility With the Prescreening Tool
Use the USDA WIC eligibility tool at fns.usda.gov/wic/eligibility-tool to get a quick read on whether your household likely qualifies. It takes a few minutes, asks about category, household size, and income, and is available in multiple languages. It is not an application, and completing it does not reserve a spot. It just tells you whether the appointment is worth booking.
Step 2: Call to Request an Appointment
Call the toll free Florida WIC line at 800-342-3556 and say you want to apply for WIC. You will get a call back to schedule a certification visit at the office serving your county. The state WIC office can also be reached at 850-245-4202.
You can also contact your county health department WIC office directly. Every county has one, and larger counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, and Duval run multiple sites. Search "[your county] florida health WIC" to find the clinic list, hours, and any walk-in availability. Some offices offer online appointment request forms; most still schedule by phone.
Step 3: Gather Your Documents
Bring these to the certification appointment:
- Proof of identity for each person applying (driver's license, state ID, passport, birth certificate, or hospital record for a newborn)
- Proof of Florida residency (utility bill, lease, or any recent mail showing your current address)
- Proof of income (recent pay stubs, an employer statement, unemployment or Social Security award letter, or the most recent tax return if self-employed), unless you are adjunctively eligible through Medicaid, SNAP, or Temporary Cash Assistance
- Proof of program participation if you are adjunctively eligible (Medicaid card, EBT card, approval letter)
- Social Security numbers for applicants, when available
- Proof of pregnancy if applying while pregnant, such as a note from your provider
- Immunization and medical records for children being enrolled
The eligibility checklist is published in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Call ahead if you cannot produce one of these documents. WIC offices routinely work with applicants who are between addresses, paid in cash, or newly arrived in Florida.
Step 4: Bring the Applicants to the Appointment
This trips people up more than anything else in the Florida process. Each woman, infant, and child applying for benefits must be physically present at the certification visit. Staff measure height and weight and typically do a finger stick to screen for anemia. That is why the applicant has to be in the room.
Step 5: Complete the Nutrition Assessment
A nutritionist or dietitian reviews your income documents, records the measurements and bloodwork, and asks about your family's eating habits, medical history, and any feeding concerns. This is the nutritional risk assessment, and it is a federal requirement alongside income. The criteria are broad, covering things like pregnancy itself, low iron, being underweight or overweight, a limited diet, or a documented medical condition. Most applicants who meet the income test also meet a nutritional risk criterion.
Step 6: Get Your WIC EBT Card and Start Shopping
If you are approved, staff enroll you with a nutrition professional and issue a Florida WIC EBT card, usually during the same visit. Benefits are loaded to the card and expire at the end of each benefit period, so use them before the cycle ends rather than saving them up.
Check your balance three ways: through the Florida WIC mobile app (Apple and Android), by calling 866-629-1095, or by swiping your card at a WIC point of sale machine at an authorized store. The app also scans product barcodes so you can confirm an item is WIC-approved before you get to the register.
Step 7: Keep Up With Recertification
Certification periods depend on category. Infants are generally certified up to the first birthday, children ages 1 to 4 are typically recertified about every 6 months, and pregnant women are certified through pregnancy plus a postpartum window. You will also have nutrition education contacts between certifications. Missing those can interrupt benefits, so keep the appointments on your calendar.
Key Florida WIC Contacts
- Statewide WIC line (apply or ask questions): 800-342-3556
- State WIC office: 850-245-4202
- WIC EBT card balance and customer service: 866-629-1095
- Program information and food lists: floridahealth.gov/individual-family-health/womens-health/wic
- Federal prescreening tool: fns.usda.gov/wic/eligibility-tool
Because Florida WIC runs through county health departments, hours, walk-in policies, and language support differ by location. Large metro counties tend to have more clinic sites and more scheduling flexibility; rural counties may run WIC clinics on set days of the week.
If you want to see what else your household may be eligible for, including Florida Medicaid, KidCare, SNAP, and LIHEAP, our Florida benefits guide covers income limits and application steps for each program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for Florida WIC online?
Florida does not have a full online WIC application. You can prescreen online through the USDA eligibility tool, and some county health departments accept online appointment requests, but certification requires an appointment where the applicants are present. Start by calling 800-342-3556.
Do I need to be a US citizen to get WIC in Florida?
No. WIC has no citizenship or immigration status requirement. Any pregnant woman, new mother, infant, or child under 5 who meets the income and Florida residency rules can apply.
How long does WIC approval take in Florida?
Most applicants find out at the certification appointment and leave with a loaded WIC EBT card the same day. The wait is usually for the appointment itself, which can take a few days to a couple of weeks depending on how busy your county office is. Call as early in a pregnancy as possible.
Can I get WIC if I already have SNAP or Medicaid in Florida?
Yes. Receiving Florida Medicaid, SNAP, or Temporary Cash Assistance makes you automatically income-eligible for WIC. You still need to complete the categorical and nutritional risk portions, but you can skip separate income documentation.
What if my income is a little over the WIC limit?
Apply anyway. Household size counts the unborn baby during pregnancy, which raises your limit, and how income is counted can differ from what you expect. A WIC staff member can walk through your actual numbers, and applying costs nothing.
Does Florida WIC cover formula?
Yes. Infants who are partially or fully formula-fed receive infant formula. The brand and quantity are set by the state contract and by the infant's age, and specialty formulas can be approved with documentation from a health care provider.
Can a father or grandparent apply for a child's WIC benefits?
Yes. Any parent, guardian, foster parent, or primary caregiver can apply for and manage benefits for an eligible infant or child under 5, whether or not they are applying for themselves.
Is there any cost to apply for WIC?
No. WIC is a free federal nutrition program administered by the state. There is no application fee, no cost for appointments, and nothing to repay.
