New York WIC provides monthly food money, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support to pregnant people, new parents, infants, and children under 5 whose household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. To apply, you contact a local WIC office (the fastest route is chatting with Wanda, the state's 24/7 virtual assistant, at health.ny.gov, or calling the Growing Up Healthy Hotline at 1-800-522-5006), schedule a phone or in-person appointment, and bring proof of identity, address, and income. For a household of four, the 2026-2027 income limit is $61,050 a year. If anyone in your household already has Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, the Essential Plan, or Head Start, you automatically meet the income test.
New York's WIC program is run by the New York State Department of Health and serves more than 450,000 participants across all 62 counties. Unlike SNAP or Medicaid, there is no single statewide online application form. WIC is delivered through roughly 100 local agencies (county health departments, hospitals, community health centers, and nonprofits), so your appointment happens with a local office rather than a central state office. The upside is that New York now offers virtual services statewide, meaning you can complete most of the process by phone.
Who Qualifies for WIC in New York
WIC eligibility rests on three things: your category, your income, and New York residency. You do not need to be a US citizen, and immigration status is never a barrier. Working families qualify all the time.
You may qualify if you:
- Live in New York State
- Are pregnant
- Are up to 6 months postpartum (or up to 12 months if breastfeeding)
- Have a child under age 5
- Are a parent, guardian, foster parent, or grandparent caring for a child under 5
- Meet the income guidelines below
Fathers, grandparents, foster parents, and other primary caregivers can apply on behalf of an eligible child even if they are not applying for themselves.
There is also a fourth requirement that catches people by surprise: nutritional risk. A WIC staff member (usually a nutritionist) reviews height, weight, and health history at your appointment. In practice this is a low bar. Pregnancy itself counts, as do common conditions like low iron, a limited diet, being underweight or overweight, or a family history of diet-related health problems. Most people who meet the income test also meet the nutritional risk test.
New York WIC Income Limits 2026
New York uses the federal maximum of 185% of the federal poverty level. The table below reflects the 2026-2027 guidelines published by the New York State Department of Health, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. These figures are gross 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 person living alone counts as a household of two, which raises the limit from $29,526 to $40,034. Someone pregnant with twins counts as a household of three.
These limits went up roughly 2.6% over the previous year's guidelines, so households that were just over the line in 2025 should check again.
Automatic (Adjunctive) Income Eligibility
You skip the income documentation entirely if anyone in your household participates in one of these programs:
- New York State Medicaid (including Medicaid Managed Care)
- SNAP (food stamps)
- TANF (cash assistance)
- The Essential Plan
- Head Start or Early Head Start
Bring the relevant proof to your appointment: a Common Benefit Identification Card (CBIC) or managed care plan card with a Client Identification Number (CIN) for each person applying, a SNAP notice of decision or budget letter listing household members, a TANF notice of decision, an Essential Plan enrollment notice, or a Head Start eligibility or enrollment letter. If you are enrolled but cannot find the paperwork, tell the WIC staff. They can often verify it for you.
What New York WIC Provides
Approved participants get an eWIC card loaded monthly with specific food benefits. It works like a debit card at authorized grocery stores and pharmacies across the state. Food benefits typically include:
- Milk, cheese, and yogurt
- Eggs
- Whole grain bread, tortillas, brown rice, oats, and cereal
- Infant formula and baby food for infants who are not fully breastfed
- Peanut butter, and dried or canned beans
- Canned fish for fully breastfeeding participants
- Juice
- A monthly Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables, approximately $26 for children ages 1 to 4, roughly $47 to $48 for pregnant and postpartum participants, and about $52 for fully breastfeeding participants in fiscal year 2026
Beyond food, WIC includes nutrition classes and one-on-one counseling, breastfeeding and chestfeeding support, breast pumps for parents who need them, and referrals to health care, immunizations, and other programs. New York also runs a WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program that issues additional summer checks for fresh local produce at participating markets.
New York is also expanding WIC online shopping, working with Walmart and state partners so participants can eventually order WIC foods for pickup or delivery. Availability is still rolling out, so ask your local office whether online purchasing is live at stores near you.
How to Apply for WIC in New York: Step by Step
Step 1: Contact a Local WIC Office
There is no statewide online form. The state directs all applicants to a local agency, and you have three ways to get there:
- Chat with Wanda, the WIC virtual assistant available 24/7 on the WIC pages at health.ny.gov. It takes less than three minutes to check whether you likely qualify and get referred to a local office. Wanda speaks English and Spanish.
- Call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline at 1-800-522-5006.
- Find your office directly using the local agency table at health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic/local_agencies.htm, which you can filter by county.
Because virtual services are available statewide, you are not locked into the office nearest your home. If your local office is booked out, ask about appointment availability at another agency.
Step 2: Gather Your Three Proofs
You need one document for each of these three categories. New York accepts electronic copies and paper documents, and a single document can satisfy more than one proof if it contains the needed information.
| Proof needed | Examples New York accepts |
|---|
| Identity (for you and each child applying) | Driver's license or learner's permit, non-driver ID, CBIC, passport or visa, Permanent Resident card, Matricula Consular ID, military or school ID, birth certificate, immunization record, hospital discharge papers or crib card for infants under 6 months, Social Security card |
| Address | Utility or cell phone bill, bank statement, pay stub, lease or mortgage document, letter from a landlord, shelter, house of worship, or social services agency, mail with a recent postmark |
| Income | Proof of Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Essential Plan, or Head Start; or all pay stubs from the past 30 days for every working household member, plus records of any child support, unemployment, disability, Social Security, pension, self-employment tax records, or a written statement from an employer |
If you are missing something, do not cancel the appointment. WIC staff are allowed to help you document income and identity in other ways.
Step 3: Meet with WIC
Your appointment can be by phone or in person depending on the agency. A WIC staff member will review your documents, confirm eligibility, and talk through your family's nutrition needs and any health concerns. Height, weight, and bloodwork help establish nutritional risk. Some families have their health care provider complete the New York State WIC Medical Referral Form in advance, which saves a step and lets the WIC nutritionist tailor recommendations.
Step 4: Get Your eWIC Card and Start Shopping
If you qualify, staff set up your benefits and issue an eWIC card. You can pick it up at the office or have it mailed. If you are recertifying, you keep the card you already have. Download the WIC2Go app to check your balance and benefit expiration dates, view upcoming appointments, scan barcodes in the store to confirm an item is WIC approved, and find authorized stores and clinics. You can also check your balance on your receipt or by calling eWIC customer service at 1-844-540-3013.
Benefits load on your certification date and expire at the end of your benefit period, so they do not roll over month to month. Spend them before the expiration date shown in the app.
Step 5: Recertify on Schedule
Certification periods depend on category. Infants are generally certified through their first birthday, children ages 1 to 5 are recertified about every six months to a year, and pregnant participants are certified through pregnancy plus a postpartum window. Your local office contacts you when it is time. Former participants who left the program can return the same way they applied, through Wanda or their local office.
Where to Get Help in New York
- Wanda, the WIC virtual assistant: available on the WIC pages at health.ny.gov, 24/7, English and Spanish
- Growing Up Healthy Hotline: 1-800-522-5006
- NYS WIC Program: 518-402-7093
- eWIC card customer service: 1-844-540-3013
- Local agency directory: health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic/local_agencies.htm
New York City residents are served by a dense network of WIC agencies across all five boroughs, many attached to hospitals and community health centers, and NYC agencies typically offer the widest range of languages and appointment times. Rural counties in the North Country and Southern Tier often have fewer offices but rely more heavily on phone appointments, which removes the travel problem.
If you want to see what else your household might qualify for alongside WIC, our New York benefits guide covers Medicaid, SNAP, the Essential Plan, HEAP, and other state programs with current income limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for WIC in New York entirely online?
Not through a single state form. New York routes every applicant to a local WIC agency. You can start online by chatting with Wanda, the state's virtual assistant, which checks your likely eligibility and refers you to an office, but the certification itself happens by phone or in person with WIC staff.
Do I need to be a US citizen to get WIC in New York?
No. The New York State Department of Health states that every eligible family can be certified for WIC regardless of immigration status. There is no citizenship requirement and no immigration test.
How long does WIC approval take in New York?
Most applicants are certified during their first appointment and receive an eWIC card at that visit or by mail shortly after. The main wait is scheduling the appointment, which varies by agency. Because virtual services work statewide, you can shorten the wait by asking another agency about earlier openings.
What is the income limit for WIC in New York for a family of four?
$61,050 a year, $5,088 a month, or $1,175 a week in gross income, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Add $10,508 a year for each additional household member.
Does being pregnant change my household size?
Yes. The unborn baby counts as a household member, so a single pregnant person is counted as a household of two and can have income up to $40,034 a year.
Can I get WIC if I already receive SNAP or Medicaid in New York?
Yes, and it makes the process faster. Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, the Essential Plan, and Head Start all satisfy the WIC income requirement automatically. You still complete the category and nutritional risk portions, but you do not need to document income separately.
Can fathers or grandparents apply for a child's WIC benefits?
Yes. Any parent, guardian, foster parent, or grandparent who is the primary caregiver of a child under 5 can apply for and manage that child's WIC benefits.
What if my income is a little above the limit?
Apply anyway. Household size counts unborn babies, some income is counted differently than people expect, and only WIC staff can run your exact numbers. Applying costs nothing.
Do WIC benefits roll over if I do not use them?
No. New York eWIC benefits expire at the end of each benefit period and unused amounts do not carry forward. Check your balance and expiration date in the WIC2Go app so nothing goes to waste.
