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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the Florida WIC Program

  •  1-800-342-3556
  •  

    Fax

    850-922-3936
  •  

    Mailing Address

    Bureau of WIC Program Services 

    4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A16 

    Tallahassee FL 32399 

English | Español | Kreyòl

Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF). The free Adobe Reader may be required to view these files.

1. What is WIC?

WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children that provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals for health care.

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2. Who is eligible for WIC?

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who have recently been pregnant, infants, and children under the age of 5 years who have a low or moderate income, are at nutrition risk, and who live in Florida. A person is considered income-eligible for WIC if the household income is less than or equal to those listed in the WIC Income Guidelines or if the person is currently receiving Medicaid, Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or Food Assistance. However, a person does not have to be on a public assistance program to qualify for WIC. To view the WIC Income Guidelines, click here.

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3. What is a “nutrition risk”?

A nutrition risk is a condition such as underweight, overweight, low birth weight, low hemoglobin or hematocrit, prematurity or chronic disease that is determined by a nutritionist at the local WIC office. Nutrition staff at your local clinic will determine whether you or your child are considered at nutrition risk by WIC rules.

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4. Where is WIC available?

WIC is in all 67 counties in Florida. To find out where WIC is in your county, click here.

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5. Where can WIC EBT cards be used?

Use your WIC EBT card only at WIC approved stores in Florida. Ask your local WIC office for the names and addresses of the approved stores in your area.

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6. Do I have to buy every item on the EBT card on the same day?

You do not have to buy all your foods at one time. Buy what you need. You can buy the amount of food shown on the WIC EBT shopping list. Substitutions of any food items are not allowed.

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7. What happens if all the WIC foods are not purchased?

Will these benefits roll over to the next month? No, benefits that are not used will expire on the ending date.

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8. Can Florida WIC EBT cards be used in another state?

No, you can use your WIC EBT card only at approved stores in Florida. Ask your local WIC office for the names and addresses of the approved stores in your area. Tell your local WIC office if you are moving to another state. Take your WIC VOC/ID card with you when you move.

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9. What should I do if my EBT card is stolen?

Call Customer Service at 1.866.629.1095 to cancel your card. You will need the name of the authorized representative, their date of birth, and their zip code to cancel the card. After you report your card stolen, the card will no longer be able to be used even if it is returned to you later. You will need to call your WIC office and go in to get a replacement card.

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10. What should I do if my EBT card is lost?

You will need to call your WIC office and go in to get a replacement card. The card will no longer be able to be used if you find it later.

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11. What if I enter the wrong PIN?

If the correct PIN is not entered by the third try, your PIN will be locked to prevent someone from guessing your PIN and getting your food benefits. You may call Florida WIC at 1.800.342.3556 (Monday-Friday 8am-5pm Eastern time) to unlock your account. If you are unable to call FL WIC during normal business hours, your account will automatically unlock after midnight. After that, you will get one more try to enter your PIN correctly. If locked out again, call Customer Service at 1.866.629.1095.

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12. What should I do if someone finds out my PIN?

If someone has your PIN who should not have it, immediately call Customer Service at 1.866.629.1095 and change your PIN.

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13. How will I get benefits with my WIC EBT Card?

You will get a shopping list from your WIC office that lists your monthly food benefits. Food benefits for each WIC participant will be put into a WIC EBT account for your household. These benefits will be available in your household account on your beginning date for each month. As food items are purchased with your WIC EBT card, these items will be deducted from the available balance in your household account. The Florida WIC Mobile App allows you to view your food benefits. It will also show the start and end dates for your benefits. You can download the Florida WIC Mobile App to your Apple or Android smart phone by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store. Click here to learn more about the Florida WIC Mobile App.

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14. When will I have my benefits?

Benefits will be in your food account at 12:00 midnight on the beginning date and will expire at 12:00 midnight on the ending date. The Florida WIC Mobile App allows you to view the start and end dates for your benefits. You can download the Florida WIC Mobile App to your Apple or Android smart phone by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store. Click here to learn more about the Florida WIC Mobile App.

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15. How will I know my food account balance?

The receipt from every purchase shows the balance of foods remaining and the expiration date, so the easiest way to know your account balance is to keep your receipt. If you don’t have your last receipt, get your balance from Customer Service at 1.866.629.1095 or go to the WIC EBT website at www.FloridaWIC.org or from a WIC EBT Point-of-Sale (POS) machine. You should always check the amount of approved foods remaining before you shop. The Florida WIC Mobile App allows you to view your food benefits. It will also show the start and end dates for your benefits. You can download the Florida WIC Mobile App to your Apple or Android smart phone by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store. Click here to learn more about the Florida WIC Mobile App.

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16. What if my card won’t work?

Call Customer Service at 1.866.629.1095.

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17. What should I do with my card after my benefits are used?

SAVE your WIC EBT card! Even when all your WIC foods have been purchased, your card is re-usable. Your next month’s benefits will be purchased using the same WIC EBT card.

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18. Can store or manufacturer's coupons be used with the WIC EBT card?

Yes. Cashiers must honor all store or manufacturer promotions such as buy one, get one free; buy one, get one at a reduced price; free ounces added by the manufacturer; manufacturer cents-off coupons; and store savings card or customer reward card presented by the WIC customer.

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19. When WIC does not provide enough infant formula for a baby, can the WIC client receive more formula from WIC?

No. Unfortunately, WIC can only provide the amount of infant formula listed on your shopping list. WIC is a “supplemental” program and was never intended to meet all of a client's nutrition needs. Clients who need additional formula and cannot afford to buy it should check with their local WIC office to see if there is a food bank or other place in the community that can help.

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20. Who can use WIC benefits in the store?

A WIC client who is the authorized representative can designate one person to be a proxy and one person to be a co-caretaker. A proxy may go to the WIC clinic to get WIC foods put on the EBT card and go to the store to buy WIC foods. A proxy must be 16 years of age or older and preferably live in the same household as the client. A co-caretaker may go to the WIC clinic to get WIC foods put on the EBT card, go to the store to buy WIC foods, and also bring in a child for recertification. A co-caretaker can be a parent who either lives or does not live in the child’s house, or can be another adult (18 years or older) who lives in the child’s house. The co-caretaker must share primary caretaker responsibility for the care, health, and welfare of the child.

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21. How does a WIC client and store cashier know what types and brands of food are allowed to be purchased with the WIC EBT card?

The Florida WIC Foods pamphlet describes and has photos of the Florida WIC-allowed foods. In addition, types and brands of food allowed to be purchased with the WIC EBT card are programmed into the cash register system of the store. The Florida WIC Mobile App also has a barcode scanner that allows you to scan items to determine if they are Florida WIC-allowed. You can download the Florida WIC Mobile App to your Apple or Android smart phone by visiting the App Store or Google Play Store. Click here to learn more about the Florida WIC Mobile App. If you have questions about approved foods, please contact the local WIC office or the state WIC office at 1-800-342-3556.

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