While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the LIHEAP program and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
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The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and support, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. The WIC program in Maryland is administered through the Maryland Department of Health.
Learn more about WIC in Maryland on the Department of Health WIC home page here.
WIC assists women and children by providing nutrition assistance and health support. If you are eligible for WIC, you will be able to access the following services:
Monthly nutrition assistance benefits are placed on an eWIC card. The eWIC cards are issued to eligible participants after they are approved for the program.
After you receive your eWIC card, you will have to set up your account. Call 1 (866) 730-7746 or click here to begin the process online. You will need to select a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to complete the setup.
To learn more about WIC services in Maryland, click here.
After you are accepted into the WIC program, you will be assigned a specific food package category by the Maryland Department of Health. The food package you will be assigned is dependent on:
For women and children, each food package comes with a set list of covered food items and the maximum amount of the food item that will be covered by the program (in ounces or fluid ounces) each month. Items included in food packages for women and children are:
Infant food packages are provided in the same level of detail but vary based on the age of the infant and how they are fed (breastfed vs. formula fed). Covered food items based on these factors include:
Learn more about WIC Food Packages and Maximum Monthly Allowances here.
To be eligible for WIC in Maryland, you must meet the following requirements:
The WIC income limits are based on the number of members in your household and are categorized by time period. Gross income refers to the total earnings before any taxes are imposed. There is a monthly and annual income limit that households must meet. They are as follows.
| Yearly Income | Monthly Income | |
| Family of 1 | $26,973 | $2,248 |
| Family of 2 | $36,482 | $3,041 |
| Family of 3 | $45,991 | $3,833 |
| Family of 4 | $55,500 | $4,625 |
| Family of 5 | $65,009 | $5,418 |
| Family of 6 | $74,518 | $6,210 |
| Family of 7 | $84,027 | $7,003 |
| Family of 8 | $93,536 | $7,795 |
| For each additional member, add | $9,509 | $793 |
Note that pregnant women count as two people within a household.
For more information about WIC eligibility, review the WIC Eligibility page here.
To test your eligibility for WIC benefits, use the WIC Prescreening Tool here. Using the WIC Prescreening Tool is not an application.
To apply for WIC in Maryland, complete the following three steps:
Learn if you may be eligible for WIC benefits by using the WIC Prescreening Tool here.
Learn what documents and information you need here.
You must schedule a WIC certification appointment at a WIC office to apply. To set up an appointment by phone, call your local WIC office. Your eligibility for WIC benefits will be verified during your appointment.
Click here to find your nearest local WIC office and contact information.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the Maryland Department of Health at 1 (800) 242-4942.
Note: Currently, in-person applications have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To submit an application remotely or schedule a phone appointment, call the state WIC office at 1 (800) 242-4942 or your local WIC office. Office contact information is available here.
The WIC certification appointment is the applicant's first appointment at a WIC office. The purpose of the certification appointment is to determine your eligibility for WIC benefits. During the certification appointment, applicants will meet with a WIC representative and present all the necessary documents to apply for WIC benefits.
Applicants should bring the following documents to their WIC certification appointment:
All applicants, including the mother and all eligible children, must be present at the appointment.
After providing the necessary documentation, trained staff at the WIC office will conduct a health exam on each of the applicants to determine if they are at medical or nutritional risk. The assessment will include a blood test, a health questionnaire and measurements of their height and weight.
For more information on what to bring to your WIC appointment, click here.
If you apply for WIC in Maryland, your eligibility will be determined during your certification appointment at the WIC office. You will learn whether you have been approved or denied at the appointment.
However, if your location does not have sufficient funds to serve all eligible applicants, you may be put on a waiting list to receive benefits. In this situation, applicants will receive benefits based on a priority system that gives those in most need earlier access to benefits.
Learn more about the Waiting List here.
Learn more about the WIC Eligibility Priority System here.
After you set up your WIC appointment and apply for benefits at a local WIC office, your eligibility will be determined by the representative who processes your application.
If you are approved for benefits, you will receive your check or eWIC card in the mail after being approved. You can use these monetary benefits to purchase WIC-approved foods. For information on what foods you can purchase with your WIC benefits, click here.
You will also be able to access WIC office support programs right away, including:
Learn more information about WIC benefits and what to expect from the program in Maryland’s Welcome to WIC video here.
If your WIC application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit the appeal to the Maryland Department of Health in person, by mail or by fax within 90 days of when you are notified about your ineligibility.
To file an appeal in person, visit a local WIC office. You will need to speak with a representative and tell them why you are appealing your determination. You will also need to bring your benefit determination letter and evidence that supports your appeal. Find your nearest WIC office location here.
To file a claim by mail or fax, you will need to fill out the Request for Fair Hearing form here or write a letter that includes the following information:
You must also enclose a copy of your determination letter when filing an appeal by mail. Submit your appeal request to your local WIC office or the following address:
Office of Administrative Hearings
Administrative Law Building
11101 Gilroy Road
Hunt Valley, MD 21031-1301
Learn more information about the appeal process by reviewing the second page of the Request for Fair Hearing form here.
If your eWIC card is lost, stolen or damaged, you must contact the EBT card customer service team to shut down your eWIC card and request a replacement.
To replace your eWIC card in Maryland, call 1 (866) 730-7746 and a replacement will be mailed to the address on your WIC account.
Learn more about the eWIC card here.
For help with obtaining WIC benefits or for any further questions about the program, call the Maryland WIC office at 1 (800) 242-4942 or send an email to MDH.WIC@Maryland.gov.
You can also contact the Maryland WIC program at:
Maryland WIC Program
Maryland Department of Health
201 W Preston Street, 1st Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
You can also visit or call a local WIC office for further assistance. Find your nearest location and contact information here.
If you have questions about your eWIC card, call eWIC customer service at 1 (866) 730-7746.
You can also contact the Maryland Department of Health at 1 (800) 382-9480.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and compiled a guide and these answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to provide you useful information on the process to help you get the benefits you need.
Our free WIC Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.
Table of Contents
The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and support, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. The WIC program in Maryland is administered through the Maryland Department of Health.
To apply for WIC in Maryland, complete the following three steps:
Learn if you may be eligible for WIC benefits by using the WIC Prescreening Tool here.
Learn what documents and information you need here.
You must schedule a WIC certification appointment at a WIC office to apply. To set up an appointment by phone, call your local WIC office. Your eligibility for WIC benefits will be verified during your appointment.
Click here to find your nearest local WIC office and contact information.
If you have questions about the application process or require assistance, contact the Maryland Department of Health at 1 (800) 242-4942.
Note: Currently, in-person applications have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To submit an application remotely or schedule a phone appointment, call the state WIC office at 1 (800) 242-4942 or your local WIC office. Office contact information is available here.
The WIC certification appointment is the applicant's first appointment at a WIC office. The purpose of the certification appointment is to determine your eligibility for WIC benefits. During the certification appointment, applicants will meet with a WIC representative and present all the necessary documents to apply for WIC benefits.
Applicants should bring the following documents to their WIC certification appointment:
All applicants, including the mother and all eligible children, must be present at the appointment.
After providing the necessary documentation, trained staff at the WIC office will conduct a health exam on each of the applicants to determine if they are at medical or nutritional risk. The assessment will include a blood test, a health questionnaire and measurements of their height and weight.
For more information on what to bring to your WIC appointment, click here.
If you apply for WIC in Maryland, your eligibility will be determined during your certification appointment at the WIC office. You will learn whether you have been approved or denied at the appointment.
However, if your location does not have sufficient funds to serve all eligible applicants, you may be put on a waiting list to receive benefits. In this situation, applicants will receive benefits based on a priority system that gives those in most need earlier access to benefits.
Learn more about the Waiting List here.
Learn more about the WIC Eligibility Priority System here.
After you set up your WIC appointment and apply for benefits at a local WIC office, your eligibility will be determined by the representative who processes your application.
If you are approved for benefits, you will receive your check or eWIC card in the mail after being approved. You can use these monetary benefits to purchase WIC-approved foods. For information on what foods you can purchase with your WIC benefits, click here.
You will also be able to access WIC office support programs right away, including:
Learn more information about WIC benefits and what to expect from the program in Maryland’s Welcome to WIC video here.
If your WIC application was denied, you have the right to file an appeal. You can submit the appeal to the Maryland Department of Health in person, by mail or by fax within 90 days of when you are notified about your ineligibility.
To file an appeal in person, visit a local WIC office. You will need to speak with a representative and tell them why you are appealing your determination. You will also need to bring your benefit determination letter and evidence that supports your appeal. Find your nearest WIC office location here.
To file a claim by mail or fax, you will need to fill out the Request for Fair Hearing form here or write a letter that includes the following information:
You must also enclose a copy of your determination letter when filing an appeal by mail. Submit your appeal request to your local WIC office or the following address:
Office of Administrative Hearings
Administrative Law Building
11101 Gilroy Road
Hunt Valley, MD 21031-1301
Learn more information about the appeal process by reviewing the second page of the Request for Fair Hearing form here.
For help with obtaining WIC benefits or for any further questions about the program, call the Maryland WIC office at 1 (800) 242-4942 or send an email to MDH.WIC@Maryland.gov.
You can also contact the Maryland WIC program at:
Maryland WIC Program
Maryland Department of Health
201 W Preston Street, 1st Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
You can also visit or call a local WIC office for further assistance. Find your nearest location and contact information here.
If you have questions about your eWIC card, call eWIC customer service at 1 (866) 730-7746.
You can also contact the Maryland Department of Health at 1 (800) 382-9480.
While we are not affiliated with the government in any way, our private company engaged writers to research the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and compiled a guide and the following answers to frequently asked questions. Our goal is to help you get the benefits that you need by providing useful information on the process.
Our free WIC Guide is filled with helpful information about how to apply, program eligibility and how to get in touch with local offices. You can view our free guide here.