Notice2026-08323
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 29, 2026
Effective
July 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood and Nutrition Service
Abstract
The United States Department of Agriculture ("Department") announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 29, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23050-23052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08323]
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Notices
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 82 / Wednesday, April 29, 2026 /
Notices
[[Page 23050]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC): 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (``Department'')
announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State
agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying
DATES: These guidelines are effective July 1, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Post, Chief, WIC
Administration, Benefits, and Certification Branch, Policy Division,
FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, 703-457-
7708.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Order 12866
This notice is exempt from review by the Office of Management and
Budget under Executive Order 12866.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
This action is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from the provisions of this
Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
This notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping
requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3507).
Executive Order 12372
This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Programs under No. 10.557 and is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation
with State and local officials (7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 48 FR
29100, June 24, 1983, and 49 FR 22675, May 31, 1984).
Description
Section 17(d)(2)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended
(42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(2)(A)), requires the Secretary of Agriculture to
establish income criteria to be used with nutritional risk criteria in
determining a person's eligibility for participation in the WIC
program. The law provides that persons will be income-eligible for the
WIC program if they are members of families that satisfy the income
standard prescribed for reduced-price school meals under section 9(b)
of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1758(b)). Under section 9(b), the income limit for reduced-price school
meals is 185 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines, as adjusted.
Section 9(b) also requires that these guidelines be revised annually to
reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. The annual revision for
2026 was published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
at 91 FR 1797 on January 15, 2026. The guidelines published by HHS are
referred to as the ``poverty guidelines.'' Consistent with the method
used to compute income eligibility guidelines for reduced-price meals
under the National School Lunch Program, the poverty guidelines were
multiplied by 1.85 and the results rounded upward to the next whole
dollar.
Program Regulations at 7 CFR 246.7(d)(1) specify that State
agencies may prescribe income guidelines either equaling the income
guidelines established under Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act for reduced-price school meals, or identical
to State or local guidelines for free or reduced-price health care.
However, in conforming WIC income guidelines to State or local health
care guidelines, the State cannot establish WIC guidelines which exceed
the guidelines for reduced-price school meals, or which are less than
100 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines.
Currently, the Department is publishing the maximum and minimum WIC
income eligibility guidelines by household size for the period of July
1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Consistent with section 17(f)(17) of
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1786(f)(17)), a
State agency may implement the revised WIC income eligibility
guidelines concurrently with the implementation of income eligibility
guidelines under the Medicaid program established under Title XIX of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396, et seq.). State agencies may
coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines, i.e.,
earlier in the year, but in no case may implementation take place later
than July 1, 2026. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation
with the revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income
eligibility guidelines on or before July 1, 2026.
Income Eligibility Guidelines
[Effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced-price meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
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48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories
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1............................... $15,960 $1,330 $665 $614 $307 $29,526 $2,461 $1,231 $1,136 $568
2............................... 21,640 1,804 902 833 417 40,034 3,337 1,669 1,540 770
3............................... 27,320 2,277 1,139 1,051 526 50,542 4,212 2,106 1,944 972
[[Page 23051]]
4............................... 33,000 2,750 1,375 1,270 635 61,050 5,088 2,544 2,349 1,175
5............................... 38,680 3,224 1,612 1,488 744 71,558 5,964 2,982 2,753 1,377
6............................... 44,360 3,697 1,849 1,707 854 82,066 6,839 3,420 3,157 1,579
7............................... 50,040 4,170 2,085 1,925 963 92,574 7,715 3,858 3,561 1,781
8............................... 55,720 4,644 2,322 2,144 1,072 103,082 8,591 4,296 3,965 1,983
Add per family member........... + $5,680 + $474 + $237 + $219 + $110 + $10,508 + $876 + $438 + $405 + $203
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Alaska
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1............................... 19,950 1,663 832 768 384 36,908 3,076 1,538 1,420 710
2............................... 27,050 2,255 1,128 1,041 521 50,043 4,171 2,086 1,925 963
3............................... 34,150 2,846 1,423 1,314 657 63,178 5,265 2,633 2,430 1,215
4............................... 41,250 3,438 1,719 1,587 794 76,313 6,360 3,180 2,936 1,468
5............................... 48,350 4,030 2,015 1,860 930 89,448 7,454 3,727 3,441 1,721
6............................... 55,450 4,621 2,311 2,133 1,067 102,583 8,549 4,275 3,946 1,973
7............................... 62,550 5,213 2,607 2,406 1,203 115,718 9,644 4,822 4,451 2,226
8............................... 69,650 5,805 2,903 2,679 1,340 128,853 10,738 5,369 4,956 2,478
Add per family member........... + $7,100 + $592 + $296 + $274 + $137 + $13,135 + $1,095 + $548 + $506 + $253
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Hawaii
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1............................... 18,360 1,530 765 707 354 33,966 2,831 1,416 1,307 654
2............................... 24,890 2,075 1,038 958 479 46,047 3,838 1,919 1,772 886
3............................... 31,420 2,619 1,310 1,209 605 58,127 4,844 2,422 2,236 1,118
4............................... 37,950 3,163 1,582 1,460 730 70,208 5,851 2,926 2,701 1,351
5............................... 44,480 3,707 1,854 1,711 856 82,288 6,858 3,429 3,165 1,583
6............................... 51,010 4,251 2,126 1,962 981 94,369 7,865 3,933 3,630 1,815
7............................... 57,540 4,795 2,398 2,214 1,107 106,449 8,871 4,436 4,095 2,048
8............................... 64,070 5,340 2,670 2,465 1,233 118,530 9,878 4,939 4,559 2,280
Add per family member........... + $6,530 + $545 + $273 + $252 + $126 + $12,081 + $1,007 + $504 + $465 + $233
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Income Eligibility Guidelines
[Effective from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027]
[Household size larger than 8]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced-price meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9............................... $61,400 $5,117 $2,559 $2,362 $1,181 $113,590 $9,466 $4,733 $4,369 $2,185
10.............................. 67,080 5,590 2,795 2,580 1,290 124,098 10,342 5,171 4,773 2,387
11.............................. 72,760 6,064 3,032 2,799 1,400 134,606 11,218 5,609 5,178 2,589
12.............................. 78,440 6,537 3,269 3,017 1,509 145,114 12,093 6,047 5,582 2,791
13.............................. 84,120 7,010 3,505 3,236 1,618 155,622 12,969 6,485 5,986 2,993
14.............................. 89,800 7,484 3,742 3,454 1,727 166,130 13,845 6,923 6,390 3,195
15.............................. 95,480 7,957 3,979 3,673 1,837 176,638 14,720 7,360 6,794 3,397
16.............................. 101,160 8,430 4,215 3,891 1,946 187,146 15,596 7,798 7,198 3,599
Add per family member........... + $5,680 + $474 + $237 + $219 + $110 + $10,508 + $876 + $438 + $405 + $203
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Alaska
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9............................... 76,750 6,396 3,198 2,952 1,476 141,988 11,833 5,917 5,462 2,731
10.............................. 83,850 6,988 3,494 3,225 1,613 155,123 12,927 6,464 5,967 2,984
11.............................. 90,950 7,580 3,790 3,499 1,750 168,258 14,022 7,011 6,472 3,236
12.............................. 98,050 8,171 4,086 3,772 1,886 181,393 15,117 7,559 6,977 3,489
13.............................. 105,150 8,763 4,382 4,045 2,023 194,528 16,211 8,106 7,482 3,741
14.............................. 112,250 9,355 4,678 4,318 2,159 207,663 17,306 8,653 7,988 3,994
15.............................. 119,350 9,946 4,973 4,591 2,296 220,798 18,400 9,200 8,493 4,247
16.............................. 126,450 10,538 5,269 4,864 2,432 233,933 19,495 9,748 8,998 4,499
Add per family member........... + $7,100 + $592 + $296 + $274 + $137 + $13,135 + $1,095 + $548 + $506 + $253
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Hawaii
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9............................... 70,600 5,884 2,942 2,716 1,358 130,610 10,885 5,443 5,024 2,512
10.............................. 77,130 6,428 3,214 2,967 1,484 142,691 11,891 5,946 5,489 2,745
11.............................. 83,660 6,972 3,486 3,218 1,609 154,771 12,898 6,449 5,953 2,977
12.............................. 90,190 7,516 3,758 3,469 1,735 166,852 13,905 6,953 6,418 3,209
13.............................. 96,720 8,060 4,030 3,720 1,860 178,932 14,911 7,456 6,882 3,441
14.............................. 103,250 8,605 4,303 3,972 1,986 191,013 15,918 7,959 7,347 3,674
15.............................. 109,780 9,149 4,575 4,223 2,112 203,093 16,925 8,463 7,812 3,906
16.............................. 116,310 9,693 4,847 4,474 2,237 215,174 17,932 8,966 8,276 4,138
Add per family member........... + $6,530 + $545 + $273 + $252 + $126 + $12,081 + $1,007 + $504 + $465 + $233
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[[Page 23052]]
The table of this notice contains the income limits by household
size for the 48 contiguous States, the District of Columbia, and all
United States Territories, including Guam. Separate tables for Alaska
and Hawaii have been included for the convenience of the State agencies
because the poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii are higher than
for the 48 contiguous States.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1786.
Patrick Penn,
Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services.
[FR Doc. 2026-08323 Filed 4-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-05-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 29, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.