WIC: Get Started

Fill out the online pre-application or contact a WIC agency near you to get started. Learn more about eligibility and applying on Apply for WIC.

A local agency will contact you shortly to set up a certification appointment to get you enrolled.

A WIC certification appointment takes about an hour.

What to bring

• Your WIC agency will tell you everything you need to provide to get certified and enrolled when they schedule your certification appointment.
• Bring any infants or children who are getting certified with you. Feel free to bring a snack or favorite toy to help make the appointment easier for both you and your child.

Your health screening

WIC staff will look at your health and nutrition. This is called a health screening. Health screenings often include:

• Height and weight measurements
• A test to see how much iron is in your blood.

In some cases, WIC may accept measurements checked by your health care provider within the last 60 days. Contact your local WIC office to see if this is an option for your upcoming appointment.

WIC will ask questions about your health and nutrition to learn how we can best serve your family.

Anything you share with the WIC staff is private. WIC staff will ask you to state your race and ethnicity. This is for WIC records. It does not affect your WIC application.

WIC staff will not ask about your immigration status. You don’t have to be a legal resident of the U.S. to get WIC benefits.

You must provide proof that you are eligible for WIC during the application process or at the certification appointment. Contact your local WIC agency if you are unsure if you already provided the required documents.

Proof of identity (ID)

You must provide an ID for you and each child getting WIC benefits. IDs can include:

• Alien card
• Birth certificate
• Driver’s license
• Hospital ID or proof of birth, like hospital discharge papers, crib card, or wrist band
• Military ID
• Passport
• Tribal ID card

If you do not have any of these forms of ID, talk to your WIC office.

Proof of address

You must prove that you live in Wisconsin. Proof of your address can include:

• Current utility bill with a street address (Not a P.O. Box)
• A rent or mortgage receipt

Proof of income

You must provide proof of any money you and the people you live with make. This can include:

• A letter showing that you are in one of these programs:
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
  • FoodShare
  • Foster care and Kinship Care
  • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
  • Wisconsin Works Program (W2)

-Or-

• Pay stubs from the last 30 days. For example:
  • Four pay stubs if you get paid each week
  • Two pay stubs if you get paid every other week
  • One pay stub if you get paid each month
• Proof of other income. For example:
  • Child support
  • Social security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Unemployment

You may provide your documents in any of the following ways:

• In person at your WIC office. Simply bring them with you.
• On your phone or tablet through the Wisconsin MyWIC app. We recommend using the app to make the most of your WIC benefits. See the Wisconsin MyWIC app section on this page.
• Online using a Family Portal account. You only need a family portal account if you prefer to provide documents digitally, but choose not to use the Wisconsin MyWIC app. If you need this option, contact your local WIC office. They will send you a link to set up a Family Portal account.

Setting up your Family Portal account

1. Click on the link that WIC sent you by text or email.
2. Choose a language (English or Spanish).
3. Select Sign up with email if you want to create your Family Portal account using your email address, or select Continue with Google if you want to create it using your Google account. If you don’t already have an email address or Google account, go to the Google sign up page and follow the directions to create an account.
4. Enter your information on the family portal sign up screen:
   1. Enter the email address on file with WIC, or the one created in step 3.
   2. Create and confirm a password at least eight characters long. You must use a mix of letters, numbers, at least one symbol, and no spaces.
   3. Enter the zip code on file with WIC for where you live (not where you receive mail).
   4. Enter your date of birth.
5. Your account is now created. Each time you use your account, select to receive a one-time security code by text or email. Then select the Submit button. In the Passcode box, enter the six-digit code you receive, then select the Submit button.

WIC cares about you! About every 3 months, WIC staff will check in to discuss nutrition, breastfeeding, WIC foods, and more, and to add the next months’ benefits to your eWIC card.

In addition, WIC requires periodic appointments to maintain enrollment in the program.

• Pregnant women are certified for the length of pregnancy.
• Breastfeeding women are certified for up to 1 year after delivery, depending on length of time breastfeeding. They have a short health/nutrition screening appointment about 6 months later.
• Women who are not breastfeeding are certified for 6 months after delivery.
• Infants are certified to their first birthday. Infants have a short health/nutrition screening appointment around 6 months of age.
• Children are certified for a year at a time, up to their 5th birthday. Children have a short health/nutrition screening appointment midway through each year.

One you're enrolled in WIC, you'll get an eWIC card linked to your WIC benefits account. When you swipe your eWIC card first at the checkout lane, the WIC food you buy uses up the food benefits in your account. You may have up to three months of benefits on your eWIC card at a time. WIC food benefits expire every 30 days. You can’t use benefits after they expire.

Call the phone number listed on the back of your card to set your four-digit PIN before you go shopping. You may do this together at your first WIC appointment. Keep your eWIC card in a safe place. Call your WIC office if your card is lost, stolen, or damaged.

• You can change your PIN at any time. Call the number or visit the website on the back of your eWIC card.
• Choose a number that you will remember.
• Do not share it with others.
• If you enter your PIN wrong four times, it will lock. To unlock your PIN:
  • Call the number or go to the website on the back of the eWIC card. Set your new PIN. You may shop after your PIN unlocks at midnight.
  • Call your WIC office to unlock your PIN. You may shop right away after your PIN is unlocked. You can use your current PIN or set a new PIN with your WIC office.

• Check how many WIC food benefits you have left.
• Get a reminder before your WIC benefits expire.
• Find WIC-approved stores.
• Scan barcodes to see which foods are WIC approved.
• Search for WIC-approved foods.
• Receive reminders for WIC appointments.
• Submit and sign documents securely.

Download the app

1. Search "Wisconsin MyWIC" in Apple App Store or Google Play and download.
2. Press Allow to receive notifications about upcoming WIC appointments, when benefits will expire, surveys, messages, and important documents. Notifications can be adjusted at any time in your device settings.

Create your account

On the Create Account page, you must use the same email, cell number, guardian date of birth, and zip code that WIC has on file. You may select Español for the app to display in Spanish.

1. User ID: enter the email address or cell phone number you provided to WIC. Email address is preferred. You do not need to have access to that email for it to be your user ID.
2. Guardian date of birth: enter the date of birth for the guardian on file with WIC. If using the app in Spanish, be sure to enter the guardian’s date of birth in the format DD/MM/AAAA.

3. ZIP code: enter the ZIP code for the physical address on file with WIC.
4. Password: must be eight or more characters long, contain letters, numbers, at least one special character, and have no spaces.
   1. If your password is not accepted, press the eyeball feature to see passwords and ensure the passwords match. The app will not alert you to what's missing.
5. Press Create Account.
   1. Select the email address or cell number to send a one-time security code. Press Send Passcode. Enter the 6-digit passcode you received. Press Verify Passcode.

Note: You have a choice to create an account with Google.

Do not create an account with Google if someone else will need to log into your MyWIC app (to shop for you, for example). If someone else will need to log into your account, create your account by entering the email or cell number you provided to WIC as your User ID, and entering a password. This way you can share your MyWIC User ID and password, without sharing your Gmail password. 

If no one else needs to log in to your MyWIC app and you have a Gmail address on file with WIC, you may choose to create an account with Google.

1. Enter the guardian date of birth on file with WIC, and your physical address ZIP code on file with WIC and press Create Account.
2. If continuing with Google, a pop-up will appear saying “’FamilyApp’ wants to use ‘rosiewi.org’ to Sign in”. Press Continue.

Navigating in the app

Appointments, Surveys, Messages, and Documents sections will only appear if there are items to view. Sections that appear in blue are items that need your attention.

Secure sections

WIC values the confidentiality and security of your personal information. The app is more secure than texting or emailing your personal information to WIC. Some sections of the app require you to log in once every eight hours to access them. Other sections can always be accessed.

Secure sections of the app, which require you to log in, include:

• Appointments – provides the name of each person who has an appointment. Appointment information without names is available without logging in.
• Documents – contains sensitive personal information.
• Family Information – contains your contact information.

Logging in

If it has been more than eight hours since you logged in, press Continue with Google or enter your information and press Log in.

Appointments

View scheduled appointments for your family. If you have any upcoming appointments, this section will appear. Basic appointment information is always available. To see the name of each person with an appointment, log in.

Surveys

If you have surveys to complete, this section will appear.

Messages

If you have messages from WIC, this section will appear.

Links

Find helpful videos, websites, and resources including nutrition and breastfeeding, shopping, and farmers markets.

Clinic information

See your local WIC clinic information.

Documents

If you have documents from WIC, this section will appear. It may show:

• Signature required
• Information to upload
• Important notices

Signature required

There are three steps to signing a document.

1. Select the signature box on the bottom of the form. An instructions pop-up will display. Read it and then select Close.

2. Select Draw, Type or Upload to enter your signature. Press the checkmark when complete.

3. Press Save.

If desired, you may use the printer icon to print or save a copy of any documents to your device.

Information to upload

WIC may request information and documents from you. Here is how to send information to WIC:

1. Proof of income
   1. Select Proof of Income.
   2. Answer any questions.
   3. To send proof of income, press Select a Single Image or Select One or More Files or Capture Image from the Camera.
   4. If you need to provide additional income documents, repeat this process to upload another document.
   5. Answer any additional questions and press Save.
2. Upload weight and height/length
   1. Select Weight and Height/Length.
   2. To provide weight and height/length, press Select a Single Image or Select One or More Files or Capture Image from the Camera.
   3. You can log in to your healthcare patient portal to screenshot or save an after-visit summary to your device or take a photo of a printed summary to upload.
   4. After providing all documentation press Save.
3. Confirm submission
   1. To confirm your documents have been submitted, look for a date listed on the right-hand side next to that form. If a date appears, your document was submitted on that date.

Important notices

If this section appears, you have notices from WIC to read. You may print or save a copy of these notices using the printer icon.

Benefit balance

Check your WIC foods balance. Press the arrow to look at future months’ benefits.

Scan UPC

Scan a food item’s barcode to see if you can purchase it with your WIC benefits.

1. Press Allow on camera permissions for this feature to work.
2. Press the Scan button.
3. Hold your phone a few inches from the barcode until it comes into focus. Do not hold your phone too close to the barcode. If the barcode doesn't scan, try slowly moving your phone farther or closer to get the barcode into focus.

If a food is WIC approved for your family, the Scan UPC feature will state how many of the scanned items you can purchase with your current benefits in green.

If a food is not WIC approved, the Scan UPC feature will state, “This is not an approved WIC product” in red.

If a food is WIC approved but not on the benefits for your family, the Scan UPC feature will state, “This product is not available to purchase with your remaining benefits” in red.

Buying fresh fruits and vegetables

• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables by the piece or weight when possible.
• Packaged fresh fruits and vegetables have UPC barcodes that change often. They may not update immediately update in the WIC system. If the item rings up not WIC-approved, you may pay for it or ask the cashier to remove it.
• If an item is not approved and should be, send a photo of it and the UPC barcode to your WIC agency for review.

WIC food search

• Use WIC Food Search to find WIC approved foods by food or category, press Search.
• Only the foods in your benefit balance may be purchased. Not all WIC approved food items are approved for all WIC participants. To find out if an item is approved for your family, use the Scan UPC feature in the app.

Store search

Find stores and pharmacies that accept WIC by store name and/or ZIP code.

WIC stores nearby

Use the WIC Stores Nearby feature to view a map of stores and pharmacies that accept WIC. Use two fingers on the map to zoom in and out to find stores in your desired shopping area. Press Search this area. You may want to enable location services in your phone settings.

Press a location dot to view specific store Information.

Settings

Reset your account, change app language, and update your notification preferences.

Change password

1. Press the three horizontal lines in the top left corner to open the menu. Select Sign Out.

2. On the login page, select "If you already have an account click here."

3. Press Forgot/Change Password.

Family information

View and update your contact information any time. Your WIC file will be updated with these changes.

If you change your information used for your User ID, you will receive a “reset account now” pop-up message. See Reset Account for more information.

Reset account

If you originally created your account with Google and now would like others to also use the app, reset your account. Use the email or cell number you provided to WIC as your User ID, instead of Google.

If you change the information used for your User ID, you will receive a “reset account now” pop-up message. Press Reset account now or go to the Settings section of the app and press Reset Account. If you do not reset your account, you may be locked out and need to contact your local WIC clinic.

1. Press Reset account now to be directed to the reset account screen.

2. Complete all fields and press Reset Account.

Login errors

If the User ID or password you enter is incorrect, an error message will appear at the top of the screen.

After five attempts, you need to reset your password. Press Forgot/Change Password to reset your password.

You will be alerted if the guardian date of birth or ZIP code entered doesn’t match what is on file with WIC.

Enter the information and press Reset Password.

After five attempts, the account will be locked. Contact your local WIC clinic to reset your account.

Updates

Ensure you are using the most updated version of the app for best functionality. Visit your app store and search “Wisconsin MyWIC” to see if updates are available. Press update if it appears.

Wi-Fi

Consider using store Wi-Fi to help with connection issues.

Foster families

Question: I am a foster parent and have more than one WIC card. Do I have to log out of the app each time to see what’s available on each card?

Answer: A foster family with multiple cards only needs one account. The app will include the benefits for each card and display them in a dropdown list on the Benefit Balance screen.

Shopping together

Question: I do the grocery shopping for my family and my sister’s family, and we are both on WIC. Do I have to log out of the app to see what’s available on each of our cards? Or is there a way to add her card to my app?

Answer: Because the cards are connected to different families, yes, you will need to log out of the app and log in with the other family’s User ID and password. Another option to track separate family benefits is to keep the receipt or do a balance inquiry at the customer service desk.

Removing access

Question: I previously had a friend or family member download the app to assist with shopping. I no longer want them to have access. How can I remove them?

Answer: Change your app password or contact your WIC agency.

The WIC Shopping Guide helps you know which foods you can buy with your eWIC card, and provides many helpful tips.

WIC shopping guide, P-44578 (available in multiple languages)

Your specific food benefits, sometimes called your food package, explain the type of foods and how much you can buy with your eWIC card.

You can find your WIC food benefits on:

• Your WIC Shopping List (from your WIC office).
• The Wisconsin MyWIC app (from the Apple App Store or Google Play).
• Your grocery store receipt.
• Website or phone number on the back of the eWIC card.

Often, you can buy foods such as:

WIC foods and your specific benefits are chosen to help meet your important nutritional needs. Key nutrients include protein, iron, zinc, calcium, folate, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and fiber. WIC food packages support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, align with the American Academy of Pediatrics infant feeding guidelines, and support breastfeeding.

Learn more about the Wisconsin WIC food packages.

You can spend WIC food benefits at any Wisconsin WIC-approved grocery store, convenience store, or pharmacy. The best way to find a store near you is with the Wisconsin MyWIC app. Your WIC agency can also help you find WIC-approved stores near you.

• Look for WIC approved signs. Some retailers identify WIC approved items on the shelf or store price tag.
• Check your balance. You can find out your balance in several ways.
  • Use the Wisconsin MyWIC App.
  • Ask the cashier for the benefit balance on your card.
  • Check your receipt, which may show your balance. Keep your receipts after shopping to help plan for your next shopping trip.
  • Visit the ebtEDGE website and select Cardholder Login.
• Make a list. Make a shopping list before going to the store using the WIC shopping guide, P-44578 (available in multiple languages). Include different brands, sizes, and flavors in case one specific food isn’t available at the store.
• Start small. Keep transactions small and simple the first few times you shop, until you are familiar with shopping for WIC foods. Avoid shopping around midnight if you can. Cash registers often update at this time and can cause errors.
• Use a checkout lane with a cashier. Tell the cashier you are using your eWIC card. Ask if you need to separate WIC items from non-WIC items. Self-checkout can only be used for WIC purchases at Hy-Vee, Meijer, Metro Mart, Pick ‘n Save, Target, and Walmart stores. Using self-checkout at other stores causes the purchase to fail and may remove foods from your benefits.
• Use WIC first. When you check out, always swipe your eWIC card first. WIC benefits expire every 30 days, while other benefits, such as FoodShare, roll over to use in future months. Apply any coupons to WIC foods. If the coupon is for a non-WIC food, we suggest using it on a separate purchase.

Self-checkout can only be used for WIC purchases at Hy-Vee, Meijer, Metro Mart, Pick ‘n Save, Target, and Walmart stores. Using self-checkout at other stores causes the purchase to fail and may remove foods from your benefits.

We recommend using a checkout lane with a cashier. Tell the cashier you are using your eWIC card. Ask if you need to separate WIC items from non-WIC items.

If you try to buy a WIC food, but it is not accepted, follow these steps:

1. Ask for help. If the cashier can’t help, ask for the store manager. If they can’t help, you can choose not to buy the food, or buy the food with cash, FoodShare, or another form of payment. WIC cannot pay you back for food you buy with another type of payment.
2. Keep your receipt. Take a picture of the food or write down the UPC barcode.
3. Contact your WIC agency. They will work to fix the issue, if needed.

We’re here to help. If you have any questions or problems, watch the videos below or contact your WIC office.

Call your WIC agency if:

• You have questions about shopping for WIC foods.
• You were not able to buy a food that you think is WIC approved.
• Your eWIC card is lost, damaged, or stolen.
• You had foods removed from your WIC benefits in error.
• Your grocery receipt does not match what you bought.
• You would like to make a complaint about how store staff treated you.
• You bought foods and infant formula you didn't use. You may not trade WIC food or formula for cash, credit, or other items. You may not sell or give away WIC food or formula.