New York WIC Program
Benefits, Eligibility & How to Apply
New York WIC Agency Contact
About the New York WIC Program
Ready to apply for New York WIC?
Call 518-402-7093 to schedule your first appointment, or see the step-by-step application guide →
New York WIC is administered by the New York State Department of Health and delivered locally through a network of providers — county health departments, hospitals, community health centers, and nonprofit organizations. More than half of all New York WIC participants are enrolled in New York City alone, making the five boroughs the single largest concentration of WIC participants in any American city. The program serves pregnant individuals, breastfeeding individuals, postpartum individuals, infants, and children under age five statewide.
Who Qualifies for WIC in New York
New York WIC is open to pregnant individuals, breastfeeding individuals up to 12 months postpartum, postpartum individuals up to 6 months after delivery, infants, and children under age five. Fathers, grandparents, foster parents, and other primary caregivers can apply on behalf of eligible children. There is no citizenship or immigration status requirement.
New York's automatic income eligibility covers more programs than most states. If anyone in your household participates in Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, the Essential Plan, or Head Start/Early Head Start, you automatically meet WIC's income requirement — no separate income documentation needed. The Essential Plan is a New York-specific health insurance program not available in most other states; Essential Plan enrollees may qualify for WIC during pregnancy and the postpartum period — confirm current specifics with your local WIC office. For households not enrolled in any of those programs, the standard income threshold is 185% of the federal poverty level.
Every applicant also needs a nutritional risk determination, made at your free WIC appointment. Nearly all applicants meet at least one criterion.
What New York WIC Provides
Benefits are loaded monthly onto an eWIC card that works like a debit card at authorized retail food vendors statewide. New York's food list covers milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, whole grains, 100% juice, beans, nut and seed butter, canned fish, baby food, and fresh herbs. Every participant receives a Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables.
If Kosher dairy options are important for your household, ask your local WIC office — New York's Authorized Product List is updated weekly and WIC offices can advise on currently approved Kosher options. New York has large Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, Rockland County, and Orange County, and the program accounts for that dietary diversity.
New York also has an extensive breastfeeding support infrastructure — every WIC office provides access to peer counselors and lactation support, and breast pumps are available for eligible breastfeeding participants.
How to Apply for WIC in New York
New York uses Wanda, the WIC Assistant, available on the state WIC website (health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic), to connect applicants to their local WIC office. Wanda asks a few eligibility questions and connects your information to the nearest office, which then contacts you to schedule a phone or in-person appointment. You can also call your local WIC office directly — the state directory is available on the same site.
New York offers phone appointments for initial certification in many cases, which means you may not need to visit a clinic in person to get started. Health screenings may still require an in-person visit, but the initial eligibility review and document check can often happen by phone — meaningful flexibility for working families and those in dense urban areas where clinic schedules fill quickly.
Recertification in New York
Certification periods follow standard federal timelines. Pregnant participants are certified through delivery. Breastfeeding participants are certified up to 12 months postpartum. Postpartum non-breastfeeding participants are certified for 6 months. Children are certified annually. Your local WIC office will notify you before your certification period ends — in high-demand urban offices, schedule your recertification appointment early.
New York's WIC Infrastructure
New York City alone has dozens of WIC clinic sites across all five boroughs, with many offering multilingual services. The state's WIC rights and responsibilities documents are published in 22 languages including Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Yiddish — a reflection of the state's extraordinary linguistic diversity.
Income at or below 185% FPL. Automatic eligibility with Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF.
Monthly food benefits loaded to your WIC EBT card plus nutrition education and breastfeeding support.
Frequently Asked Questions — New York WIC
Start by using Wanda, the WIC Assistant, at health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic. Wanda asks a few eligibility questions and connects your information to your nearest local WIC office, which will contact you to schedule a phone or in-person appointment. You can also call your local WIC office directly using the state directory on the same site.
Yes. Many New York WIC offices offer phone appointments for initial certification and recertification. Your local office will confirm what options are available when they contact you. In-person visits may still be required for health screenings such as height, weight, and hemoglobin checks.
If anyone in your household participates in Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, the Essential Plan, or Head Start/Early Head Start, you automatically meet WIC's income requirement in New York. Bring your current enrollment documentation to your appointment instead of income paperwork. New York's Essential Plan inclusion is broader than most other states — Essential Plan enrollees may qualify during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Confirm current specifics with your local WIC office.
New York uses the federal WIC income threshold of 185% of the federal poverty level. For a household of four, that is $4,957 per month or $59,478 per year in gross income for the 2025–2026 benefit year, effective through June 30, 2026. If anyone in your household receives Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, the Essential Plan, or Head Start, you automatically meet the income requirement.
New York's Authorized Product List is updated weekly and accounts for the state's diverse communities. If Kosher dairy options are important for your household, ask your local WIC office — they can advise on currently approved Kosher products. New York has large Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, Rockland County, and Orange County, and the program is designed to serve them.
New York is one of the largest WIC programs in the country. More than half of all New York WIC participants are enrolled in New York City alone. For current statewide participation data, see the USDA Food and Nutrition Service WIC participation and cost data, which is updated annually.
New York WIC Income Limits 2026
| Household Size | Annual Gross Income | Monthly Gross Income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28,953 | $2,413 |
| 2 | $39,128 | $3,261 |
| 3 | $49,303 | $4,109 |
| 4 | $59,478 | $4,957 |
| 5 | $69,653 | $5,805 |
| 6 | $79,828 | $6,653 |
| 7 | $90,003 | $7,501 |
| 8 | $100,178 | $8,349 |
| Each additional person | add $10,175 | add $848 |
| Effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Figures are 185% of the federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories (including Guam). Alaska and Hawaii residents see higher income limits. Source: USDA FNS Federal Register notice 2025-03576 (90 FR 11598). | ||
New York's Expanded Automatic Eligibility
New York's automatic income eligibility goes further than most states. If anyone in your household participates in any of these programs, you automatically meet WIC's income requirement:
- Medicaid
- SNAP (food stamps)
- TANF (cash assistance)
- Essential Plan — New York's state health insurance program, unique to New York and Minnesota
- Head Start or Early Head Start
Bring your current enrollment documentation for any of those programs to your WIC appointment instead of income paperwork. Essential Plan enrollees may qualify for WIC during pregnancy and the postpartum period — confirm current eligibility specifics with your local WIC office.
What Counts as Income in New York
New York WIC counts all gross household income before taxes — wages, self-employment, Social Security, child support, alimony, unemployment benefits, and military pay. SNAP benefits, housing assistance, and tax refunds do not count as income. For variable income (tips, seasonal work), WIC typically uses a 30-day look-back from recent documentation.
Income Is Not the Only Requirement
Passing the income test qualifies you on one criterion, but New York WIC also requires a nutritional risk determination. That happens at your free WIC appointment. Nearly all applicants meet at least one nutritional risk criterion — being pregnant alone qualifies. If you're unsure whether you qualify, use Wanda, the WIC Assistant, at health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic to get a quick pre-screen before your appointment.
New York WIC Approved Foods
New York State WIC publishes an Authorized Product List (APL) that is updated weekly and maintained by the NYS Department of Health. The current full APL — searchable by UPC and food category — is available at nyswicvendors.com. Your WIC Shopping List, issued at your appointment, shows exactly which items and amounts are approved for your household.
New York-Specific Food Notes
Kosher dairy options: If Kosher dairy products are important for your household, ask your local WIC office about currently approved Kosher options — New York's APL is updated weekly and WIC offices can advise on what's available. New York has large Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, Rockland County, and Orange County, and the program accounts for that dietary diversity.
Fresh herbs: New York maintains a dedicated Fresh Herbs category in its APL, updated weekly. Fresh herbs are covered under the Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables.
Soy beverage: Available to participants who need it — check your WIC Shopping List for eligibility. Not all participants receive soy beverage by default.
Whole grains: New York approves whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, corn tortillas, whole wheat tortillas, and quinoa. Your monthly whole grain benefit is measured in ounces and you can mix and match any approved grain products.
Canned fish: Available to breastfeeding women and children on New York WIC. Approved varieties include chunk light tuna, pink salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
Infant formula: New York manages a competitive bid contract for infant formula. The contract brand is issued by default. Medical documentation from a healthcare provider is required for non-contract formulas, including specialized, hypoallergenic, and metabolic formulas. New York maintains an extensive specialized formula list for infants and children with medical needs — ask your WIC nutritionist if your child requires a specialized product.
Fruits and vegetables: Every participant receives a Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or sauces. Look for WIC-approved shelf stickers at participating stores.
Shopping for WIC in New York
Your eWIC card works at authorized grocery stores statewide. In New York City, most major supermarket chains participate, as do many bodegas and neighborhood grocery stores that have applied for WIC vendor status. Use the store locator at health.ny.gov or the APL search at nyswicvendors.com to find participating stores and verify approved products.
New York's APL is updated weekly — if a product you previously purchased no longer scans as approved, check the current APL at nyswicvendors.com before your next shopping trip. If a product is genuinely missing from the list, your local WIC office can submit a UPC for review.
