WIC Policy and Procedures

This page contains policies for the Washington WIC Program. If you have questions about policy and procedures, please contact staff at the state WIC office:

• Call 1-800-841-1410, choose option 3, then option 1 for Policy Support.
• Email us.

All files are in PDF format unless otherwise noted.

Required Local Agency Policies, Permissions or Approvals

The Required Local Agency Policies, Approvals or Permissions (PDF):

• Lists required local agency policies for each chapter of the WIC Policy and Procedure manual.
• Identifies situations when a local agency must have permission or approval from the state WIC program to perform an action but doesn’t have to develop a written policy.

Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Policies

Beginning September 1, 2023, Washington WIC agencies must offer in-person appointments for participants who want to come into the clinic for their services; and continue to offer remote services for participants who want to complete their appointments remotely.

Washington WIC received the following two waivers for providing post PHE services effective September 1st:

• Physical presence for each certification and subsequent certification
• Remote benefit issuance

Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Required Guidance

• Certification Appointment Flow Chart (PDF)
• Domestic Violence Assessment Question during Remote Services (PDF)
• Mailed WIC Card Letter (PDF)

View other Mailed WIC Card Letter languages

• Amharic (PDF)
• Arabic (PDF)
• Burmese (PDF)
• Chinese (PDF)
• Korean (PDF)
• Oromo (PDF)
• Russian (PDF)
• Somali (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)
• Tigrinya (PDF)
• Vietnamese (PDF)

• Measurement and Bloodwork Information Form (PDF)
• Remote Benefit Issuance (PDF)
• Remote Certification (PDF)
• Remote Mid-Certification Health Assessment (PDF)
• Remote Nutrition Education (PDF)
• Remote Presume Eligible Certification (PDF)
• Remote Presume Eligible – Complete Assessment (PDF)
• Remote Transfers (PDF)
• Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Waiver Separation of Duties File Review (PDF) (Effective May 1, 2024)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form (Fillable PDF)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form – Blank (PDF)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form (Fillable Word)
  • Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties File Review Form – Blank (Word)
  • Staff Tool: Cascades Post PHE Waiver Separation of Duties Report (PDF)

Volume 1

• Notice of Revision Log (PDF) (July 2026)

Chapter 1: Positive Client Relations - Quality Service Delivery

• Chapter 1: Positive Client Relations - Quality Service Delivery (PDF) (January 2019)

Chapter 2: Program Compliance

• Chapter 2: Program Compliance (PDF) (May 2020)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Agreement for Clinic Staff - Fillable form (Word)
• Agreement for Clinic Staff - Print and fill (PDF)

Chapter 3: Application and Processing Standards

• Chapter 3: Application and Processing Standards (PDF) (July 2026)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Best Practices for Scheduling New Applicant Certification Appointments (PDF)

Chapter 4: Vacant Chapter

Chapter 5: Priority System and Waiting List

• Chapter 5: Priority System and Waiting List (PDF) (January 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 6: Income

• Chapter 6: Income (PDF) (July 2026)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• 2025-2026 WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Military Income Guide (PDF)
• Temporary Certification for Missing Proof of Income Form
• WIC Statement of Income – Affidavit for Income (PDF) | Additional languages
• Income Intake Form (PDF)

Chapter 7: Rights and Responsibilities

• Chapter 7: Rights and Responsibilities (PDF) (January 2019)
• Rights and Responsibilities Form

Chapter 8: Farmers Market Nutrition Program

• Chapter 8: Farmers Market Nutrition Program (PDF) (Effective June 1, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Local Agency Farmer Market Nutrition Program Policy (Template) - Fillable form (Word)

Chapter 9: Anthropometrics

• Chapter 9: Anthropometrics (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Unknown Measurements (PDF)
• Buying Height and Weight Equipment (PDF)

Chapter 10: Hematology

• Chapter 10: Hematology (PDF) (Effective August 1, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• When to Test Hemoglobin or Receive Blood Work (PDF)
• Observation Checklist for HemoCue Testing (PDF)
• Cascades Steps: Documenting Bloodwork (PDF)
• Hemoglobin Machine Maintenance Log – Fillable form (PDF)
• Hemoglobin Machine Maintenance Log – Print and fill (PDF)

Chapter 11: Assessment

• Chapter 11: Assessment (PDF) (August 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Assessment Questions for a Participant-Centered Risk Assessment
• How to Access LionBridge Interpreter (PDF)
• I Speak Statements (PDF)

Chapter 12: Referrals and Coordinating Services

• Chapter 12: Referrals and Coordinating Services (PDF) (Effective September 1, 2023)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Referrals (PDF)

Chapter 13: Vacant Chapter

Chapter 14: Nutrition Risk Criteria

• Chapter 14: Nutrition Risk Criteria (PDF) (Effective February 10, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Nutrition Risk Factors (Excel)
• Staff Tool: Professional Discretion High Risk (PDHR) (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Health Conditions and Nutrition Practices to Assigned Risks (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Facts for WIC Staff About Feeding Donor Milk (PDF)

Chapter 15: Breastfeeding

• Chapter 15: Breastfeeding (PDF) (May 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 16: Nutrition Education

• Chapter 16: Nutrition Education (PDF)
• Drug and Harmful Substance Information (PDF) (Effective March 3, 2025)
• Nutrition Education at the Initial and Subsequent Certification and Presume Eligible Complete Assessment (PDF)
• Nutrition Education at the Mid-Certification Health Assessment (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Individual (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Group Class (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – High Risk with a WIC Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – High Risk by a Non-WIC Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) (PDF)
• Second Nutrition Education – Online Education (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Required Documentation at Nutrition Education Contacts (PDF)

Chapter 17: WIC Eligibility

• Chapter 17: WIC Eligibility (PDF) (August 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 18: Certification

• Chapter 18: Certification (PDF) (July 2026)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Policy revision: Certifying Participants after Delivery (PDF)
• Race and Ethnicity Tool
• Staff Tool: Cascades Required Fields (PDF)
• Staff Tool: Certification Checklist (PDF)
• Staff Tool: WIC Acronyms and Abbreviations List (PDF)

Chapter 19: Special Living Situations

• Chapter 19: Special Living Situations (PDF) (October 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Facility Agreement Form - Fillable form (Word)

Chapter 20: Notification, Fair Hearings and Civil Rights

• Chapter 20: Notification, Fair Hearings and Civil Rights (PDF)
• Using WIC's Nondiscrimination Statement (PDF)

Chapter 21: Transfers/Verification of Certification

• Chapter 21: Transfers/Verification of Certification (PDF) (April 2021)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 22: Issue WIC Food Benefits

• Chapter 22: Issue WIC Food Benefits (PDF) (July 14, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Staff Tool: WIC Card Education (PDF)
• WIC Card Daily Check-out & Inventory Log - Fillable form (PDF)
• WIC Card Daily Check-out & Inventory Log - Print and fill (PDF)
• WIC Card Inventory Log - Fillable form (PDF)
• WIC Card Inventory Log - Print and fill (PDF)
• WIC Benefit Replacement Form (PDF)
• WIC Infant to Child Standard Formula Exchange Form (PDF)

Chapter 23: WIC Foods

• Chapter 23: WIC Foods (PDF) (March 16, 2026)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)
• Breastfeeding Participant With Multiples Table - Food Prescriptions (PDF)
• Unused and Returned WIC Formula Donation Guidelines (PDF)
• Local Agency Policy Review Checklist (PDF)

Chapter 24: Medical Documentation for Formulas and Foods

• Chapter 24: Medical Documentation for Formulas and Foods (PDF) (July 14, 2025)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 25: Legal Considerations and Confidentiality

• Chapter 25: Legal Considerations and Confidentiality (PDF)
• Table of Revision (PDF)
• Required Guidance: Section 4 Custody (PDF)
• Staff Confidentiality Agreement - Fillable form (Word)
• Staff Confidentiality Agreement - Print and fill (PDF)

Volume 2

We are revising all Volume 2 chapters. Completed chapters are posted.

• Volume 2 Revision Log (PDF) (October 2022)

Chapter 1: WIC Contract

• Chapter 1: WIC Contract (PDF)

Chapter 2: Nutrition Services Plan

• Chapter 2: Nutrition Services Plan (PDF) (April 2020)

Draft Chapter 3: Budget Report and WIC Expense Report

• Draft Chapter 3: Budget Report and WIC Expense Report (PDF)

Chapter 4: Allowable Costs

• Chapter 4: Allowable Costs (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Local Agency Allowable Cost Determination Form (Word)

Chapter 5: Purchasing and Inventory

• Chapter 5: Purchasing and Inventory (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Inventory Log (Word)
• Itemization Worksheet (Excel)
• Purchasing & Additional Funding Request & Approval (Word)
• Small Purchase Process – Request for Quotes (Word)

Chapter 6: Monitoring and Audits

• Chapter 6: Monitoring and Audits (PDF) (October 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF)

Chapter 7: Record Retention

• Record Retention (PDF)

Chapter 8: Electronic Devices, Security, and Service Interruption Plan

• Chapter 8: Electronic Devices, Security, and Service Interruption Plan (PDF) (June 2022)
• Table of Revisions (PDF) 
• Cellular Device Authorization and Agreement (Word)