How to Apply for WIC in Minnesota

Step-by-Step Guide

📅 Last reviewed: May 4, 2026 · Last updated: May 4, 2026

Minnesota offers an online WIC application.

Apply online at www.health.state.mn.us → or call 1-800-942-4030 to schedule your first appointment.

Minnesota WIC Agency

Agency Minnesota Department of Health

Phone 1-800-942-4030

Website Official Minnesota WIC Site

Available

Online Application

Available

Telehealth Appointments

Same Day

Benefits if Approved

Applying for WIC in Minnesota

Minnesota makes it easy to start the WIC application process online. You can apply at health.state.mn.us/wicapply, or call your local WIC clinic directly. After your online application is submitted, WIC staff will contact you to complete the process and schedule your certification appointment.

Step 1: Apply Online or Call

Apply online: Visit health.state.mn.us/wicapply to submit your application. You can upload proof documents during the application if you choose. WIC staff will follow up within the timeframes required by state processing standards.
Call your local clinic: Use the Minnesota WIC Agency Directory at health.state.mn.us, or call 1-800-WIC-4030 (1-800-942-4030) to find and contact the clinic nearest to you.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

Bring the following to your certification appointment, or upload them with your online application:

Proof of identity for yourself and each child applying — a driver's license, passport, birth certificate, military ID, tribal ID, or hospital records for infants
Proof of Minnesota residency — a utility bill, lease, official mail, or other document showing your current Minnesota address
Proof of income — pay stubs from the last 30 days, employer statements, Social Security award letters, or documentation of current enrollment in Medical Assistance (MA), MinnesotaCare, MFIP, SNAP, Head Start, Energy Assistance Program (EAP), or Free/Reduced School Lunches. If you receive any of those programs, that documentation replaces income proof entirely.
For pregnant applicants: confirmation from a healthcare provider (a note or ultrasound with your name and date)
For children: you or another caregiver must bring the child to the first certification appointment

Step 3: Your Certification Appointment

At your appointment, WIC staff will verify your documents, take height and weight measurements, and conduct a brief health and nutrition assessment that may include a hemoglobin blood test. Staff will determine your food package and load your first month of benefits onto your eWIC card. You will also receive information about the My Minnesota WIC app, your rights and responsibilities, and referrals to other health and social services.

Many Minnesota WIC clinics offer phone and video appointments in addition to in-person visits. Ask your clinic about available appointment formats if you cannot come in person.

If Your Income Is Just Over the Limit

Minnesota offers a Presumptive Income Eligibility pathway for families between 185% and 275% FPL. If your household includes a pregnant woman, a recent mother, or a child under 5, and you are willing to apply for a Minnesota Health Care Program such as Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, you may receive WIC benefits for up to three months while that application is pending. After three months, proof of Health Care Program eligibility or a pending application is required to continue benefits.

Recertification

Pregnant women are certified through pregnancy and six months postpartum (twelve months if breastfeeding). Infants and children are recertified periodically — every six months for infants and annually for children after age one, up to their fifth birthday. Contact your clinic before your certification period ends. The My Minnesota WIC app sends appointment reminders and displays your benefit period so you can plan ahead.

Application FAQ — Minnesota WIC

Yes. Minnesota has a full online WIC application at health.state.mn.us/wicapply. You can complete the application, upload proof documents if you choose, and WIC staff will contact you to schedule your certification appointment. After the online application, a certification appointment — which can be in person, by phone, or by video at many clinics — is still required to finalize enrollment and receive your eWIC card.

Bring proof of identity for yourself and each person applying (driver's license, passport, birth certificate, tribal ID, or hospital records for infants), proof of Minnesota residency (a utility bill, lease, or official mail at your current address), and proof of income — or documentation of current enrollment in Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, MFIP, SNAP, Head Start, Energy Assistance Program (EAP), or Free/Reduced School Lunches, which replaces income proof. For pregnancy, bring a healthcare provider's note or ultrasound with your name and date. Children must be present at their first certification appointment.

If you are found eligible at your certification appointment, you receive your eWIC card loaded with your first month of benefits that day. Minnesota WIC follows USDA processing standards for how quickly certification appointments must be scheduled after an application is received. Applying online and uploading documents in advance can speed up the process.

Minnesota has a Presumptive Income Eligibility pathway for families between 185% and 275% FPL. If your household includes a pregnant woman, a recent mother, or a child under 5, and you are willing to apply for Medical Assistance or MinnesotaCare, you may qualify for up to three months of WIC benefits while that health care application is in process. Contact your local WIC clinic to discuss this option — it is worth a call even if you think you might be over income.

Pregnant women are certified through pregnancy and six months postpartum (twelve months if breastfeeding). Infants are recertified every six months up to age one. Children are certified annually until their fifth birthday. The My Minnesota WIC app sends appointment reminders and shows your current benefit period. Contact your local WIC clinic before your certification period ends — benefits stop if certification lapses, and there may be a gap before your next appointment.