To start an Alabama WIC application, call 1-888-WIC-HOPE (1-888-942-4673) or your local county health department and ask for a WIC certification appointment. There is no online form and no paperwork to fill out ahead of time. Everything happens at that one visit: a staff member checks your documents, runs a short health screening, and if you qualify, loads your food benefits onto an eWIC card before you leave.1Alabama Department of Public Health. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) – How to Apply
Who Can Apply
WIC is open to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, women who have had a baby within the past six months, infants, and children under age five.2Alabama Department of Public Health. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) You must live in Alabama, but there is no minimum length of residency. Migrants, homeless individuals, and incarcerated persons are exempt from the residency requirement.3Alabama Administrative Code. Alabama Administrative Code 420-10-2-.03 – Eligibility Requirements
Household income must be at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. From July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, the limits are:4Food and Nutrition Service. WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines (2025-2026)
- Household of 1: $28,953 per year ($2,413 per month)
- Household of 2: $39,128 per year ($3,261 per month)
- Household of 3: $49,303 per year ($4,109 per month)
- Household of 4: $59,478 per year ($4,957 per month)
- Household of 5: $69,653 per year ($5,805 per month)
A pregnant woman counts as two people in the household: herself and her unborn child. If anyone in your household already receives Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF, you meet the income test automatically and can bring the award letter or EBT card in place of pay stubs.5Food and Nutrition Service. WIC Eligibility
Income is not the only qualifying factor. There is also a nutritional risk assessment at the appointment itself, described below.
How to Schedule Your Appointment
Alabama does not accept applications online or by mail. Call 1-888-WIC-HOPE (1-888-942-4673) or contact your local county health department directly.6Alabama Department of Public Health. Contact Us – WIC The clinic directory on the Alabama Department of Public Health website lists every WIC location in the state. When you call, staff will confirm that you fall into an eligible category and set a date for your certification visit.7Alabama Department of Public Health. Alabama WIC Program Certification Process
What to Bring
Everyone who is applying has to be at the appointment in person. That includes any infant or child who will be enrolled. For each applicant, bring documents in three categories:2Alabama Department of Public Health. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Proof of identity for the parent or caretaker and for each person applying. A driver’s license, birth certificate, hospital birth card, passport, employer or school ID, or health benefits card all qualify.8Food and Nutrition Service. WIC Eligibility Tool
- Proof of Alabama residency showing your street address, such as a utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement.
- Proof of income for everyone in your household who worked during the past month. Pay stubs, payroll receipts, an employer letter, or tax returns are all acceptable. If you receive Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF, bring your award letter or EBT card instead.9eCFR. 7 CFR Part 246 – Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
Names on your IDs should match the names you give at the clinic. If your child has a different last name from yours, bring something that shows the relationship, such as the child’s birth certificate listing you as a parent.
What Happens at the Certification Appointment
The visit covers everything in one sitting. A WIC staff member reviews your identity, residency, and income documents first. Once those check out, you move on to the nutritional risk assessment, which is the other main qualifying factor.2Alabama Department of Public Health. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
The screening includes a height and weight measurement and a hemoglobin or hematocrit check through a simple finger-stick blood test. These are used to identify conditions like iron-deficiency anemia or being underweight. If your doctor has taken these measurements recently, the clinic can use that information instead, and the WIC Referral/Medical Information Form (WIC-104) will be sent to your provider to collect the results.10Alabama Department of Public Health. WIC Referral/Medical Information Form
If you qualify, you receive your eWIC card and food benefits before leaving. If you are found ineligible, the clinic must give you written notice stating the specific reasons and must tell you about your right to a fair hearing.11eCFR. 7 CFR 246.7 – Certification of Participants In Alabama you have 60 days from the date of that notice to request a hearing, and you can file the request at any local WIC office or with the state WIC agency.12Alabama Department of Public Health. WIC Rights and Responsibilities
How Often You Need to Reapply
WIC is not a one-time enrollment. Certification periods are set by category, and you have to come back before each one expires to keep your benefits going.11eCFR. 7 CFR 246.7 – Certification of Participants
- Pregnant women are certified through the pregnancy and up to the end of the month the infant turns six weeks old.
- Postpartum women who are not breastfeeding are certified up to the last day of the sixth month after delivery.
- Breastfeeding women are certified in roughly six-month intervals and can continue until the infant’s first birthday or until breastfeeding stops.
- Infants are certified in roughly six-month intervals through age one.
- Children are certified for up to a year at a time, ending on the last day of the month the child turns five.
If you miss a recertification appointment and do not pick up your benefits, you can be removed from the program and will need to apply again from the beginning.12Alabama Department of Public Health. WIC Rights and Responsibilities