Tennessee WIC Program
Benefits, Eligibility & How to Apply
Tennessee WIC Agency Contact
About the Tennessee WIC Program
Ready to apply for Tennessee WIC?
Call 1-800-342-5942 to schedule your first appointment, or see the step-by-step application guide →
Tennessee WIC is administered by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) and delivered through 126 service sites — county health departments, stand-alone clinics, and hospital-based locations — organized across 14 regional zones statewide. The program serves tens of thousands of Tennessee families each month.
Benefits are issued on the TNWIC card, Tennessee's eWIC card, which works like a debit card at over 800 authorized grocery stores and pharmacies across all 14 regions. One detail worth knowing: pharmacies in Tennessee are only authorized to accept the TNWIC card for specialized infant formulas and WIC-eligible nutritionals — not for the regular food items in your monthly package. For everything else, you'll need a grocery store or supermarket on the authorized list.
How Monthly Benefits Work
Tennessee WIC loads benefits onto your TNWIC card by monthly allotment. Each allotment is tied to a specific calendar period — any benefits not used by midnight on the last day of that month expire and do not roll over to the next allotment. Your shopping list from the clinic or your last store register receipt will show the dates, amounts, and remaining balances for each food category.
WICShopper and WIC Smart
Tennessee participants have access to two separate tools for managing their WIC experience. WICShopper is the shopping app — download it from the App Store or Google Play and use it to scan product barcodes in the aisle, check benefit balances, find authorized stores, and browse recipes. WIC Smart is a federal nutrition education platform available online or as an app that may be offered at some Tennessee WIC clinics. Ask your local clinic whether WIC Smart is used at their location.
Shelby County Has Its Own System
If you live in Shelby County (Memphis area), the WIC appointment process works differently from the rest of Tennessee. Shelby County residents should call the Shelby County Health Department Call Center at (901) 222-9980 or email schd.callcenter@shelbycountytn.gov to schedule WIC appointments — not the statewide 1-800-DIAL-WIC line. This separate routing applies to both new applicants and existing participants in Shelby County.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
Each summer, Tennessee WIC runs a Farmers' Market Nutrition Program offering $30 in $5 checks to eligible participants in select counties. A distinctive requirement: all produce purchased with these checks must be Tennessee-grown, and farmers participating in the program must have personally grown more than half of what they're selling. The program runs during July and August and serves approximately 25,000 eligible participants per year in counties including Coffee, Hickman, Knox, Lincoln, Madison, Maury, Moore, Rutherford, and Sullivan. Check with your regional WIC office to confirm availability in your area.
Statewide Information Line
For clinic locations, appointments, and general WIC questions, call 1-800-DIAL-WIC (1-800-342-5942). Shelby County residents use the separate number above. Tennessee WIC also offers free language assistance and services for people with disabilities upon request — call 711 or 800-848-0299 for English or 866-503-0263 for Spanish for communication assistance.
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 — Tennessee WIC
Tennessee 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). | ||
Pregnant Women Count as Two (or More)
If you are pregnant, you count as two people when calculating household size — yourself and the unborn child. If you are carrying twins or multiples, each additional baby is counted separately. This is particularly important for smaller households near the income threshold, where adding even one additional "household member" can shift eligibility.
Adjunctive (Automatic) Income Eligibility
If your household participates in any of the following programs, you automatically meet WIC's income requirement — no separate income documentation is needed:
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program / food stamps)
- TANF / Families First — Tennessee's name for the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash assistance program is "Families First." Either the TANF or Families First designation is accepted.
- TennCare — Tennessee's Medicaid program. If you or a household member is enrolled in TennCare, you qualify automatically.
Bring your current benefit letter, enrollment card, or a recent benefit statement from any of these programs to your WIC appointment. That document replaces the need for pay stubs or other income records.
Income Documentation if Not Auto-Eligible
If you are not enrolled in SNAP, Families First, or TennCare, bring income proof for all household members dated within the last 30 days — pay stubs, bank statements showing gross income, an employer letter, or a support letter. Tax returns (W-2 and the latest return) are also accepted. If income is paid in cash with no check stubs, a written income statement from the employer is acceptable.
Tennessee WIC is not included in the federal public charge rule. Applying for or receiving WIC will not affect your immigration status.
Tennessee WIC Approved Foods
Tennessee WIC benefits are loaded onto the TNWIC card and accepted at over 800 authorized grocery stores across all 14 Tennessee WIC regions. The specific foods and quantities you receive depend on your participant category — pregnant, breastfeeding, postpartum, infant, or child — and are determined at your certification appointment. All Tennessee WIC food packages follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidance on infant feeding.
A note on pharmacies: Tennessee pharmacies that are WIC-authorized only accept the TNWIC card for specialized infant formulas and WIC-eligible nutritionals. They are not authorized for regular food items like milk, eggs, or produce. For your standard monthly food package, you'll need a WIC-authorized grocery store.
Food Categories
- Dairy: Milk (whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free), cheese, yogurt, and lactose-free options. Soy beverages are permitted as a milk substitute for participants with dairy restrictions.
- Eggs: Any color from domestic hens, including whole, liquid pasteurized, and dried egg mixes.
- Whole grains: Iron-fortified adult cereal, 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat tortillas, and other whole grain options. Tennessee implemented all federally required infant food package changes in October 2024; beginning October 2025, the children's and women's food packages are also updating to reflect the latest federal WIC food package rules.
- Fruits and vegetables: Loaded as a monthly Cash Value Benefit (CVB) on the TNWIC card. Fresh, frozen, and canned produce are all eligible. Canned fruits must be without added sugars. Authorized grocers may also accept older paper Cash Value Vouchers (CVVs) where applicable.
- Legumes: Dried or canned beans and peas. Immature legumes like green beans, snap beans, and wax beans are not eligible — only mature varieties qualify.
- Peanut butter: Creamy or chunky, any brand, regular or reduced fat, salted or unsalted.
- Tofu: Calcium-set tofu is available as a protein alternative. It must not contain added fats, sugars, oils, or sodium.
- Canned fish: Available in breastfeeding women's food packages. Breastfeeding mothers receive an enhanced food package including canned fish to support nutritional needs while nursing.
- Juice: 100% fruit or vegetable juice, vitamin C-enriched, unsweetened only.
- Infant foods: Iron-fortified infant cereal, jarred baby food (fruits, vegetables, meats), and WIC-approved infant formula. Special medical formulas require a physician's referral form submitted to the WIC clinic.
How Monthly Allotments Work
Tennessee WIC loads benefits onto your TNWIC card by monthly allotment. Each allotment is tied to a specific period: any benefits not used by midnight on the last day of that monthly period expire and cannot be applied to the following month. You can shop as many times as you like throughout the month — you are not limited to a single trip. Check your balance at any time through the WICShopper app or by calling the toll-free number on the back of your card.
WICShopper App
Download the free WICShopper app from the App Store or Google Play to scan product barcodes in the grocery aisle and instantly confirm whether an item is covered by your benefits. The app also shows your current benefit balance by food category, lists authorized store locations near you, and includes recipes and shopping tips.
Tennessee-Grown Farmers' Market Checks
During July and August, eligible WIC participants in select Tennessee counties receive $30 in Farmers' Market Nutrition Program checks (six $5 checks) to spend on fresh, locally grown produce. Every item purchased with these checks must be grown in Tennessee — the program requires that participating farmers have personally grown the majority of what they're selling. This requirement is unique to Tennessee's program and ensures that WIC farmers' market dollars support in-state agriculture. The program serves approximately 25,000 participants per year in participating counties.
