Before you begin, review the list of required documents and be prepared to upload them.
1) Store Demographics
Enter your store's legal name, physical address, phone, email, and mailing address if different. Then choose your vendor type.
- Grocer. Full range of WIC foods. No pharmacy.
- Grocer with Pharmacy. Grocery and pharmacy in the same building. Pharmacy must be able to sell specialty infant formula within 2 days of participant requests.
- Pharmacy. Sells only WIC-approved formula and medical nutrition. Must sell specialty formulas within 2 days.
2) Eligibility Criteria
Answer Yes or No to each item. These reflect minimum requirements in Illinois Administrative Code 672.210. Applications that do not meet these requirements will be denied. Examples include price competitiveness, stocking required WIC items, and keeping WIC sales under 50 percent of SNAP-eligible food sales.
3) Store Contacts
Provide the Store Manager information. Indicate if the Store Manager is also the Primary WIC Contact. If not, enter the Primary WIC Contact person who completes WIC paperwork, responds to email, and attends training.
4) Store Details
Enter hours of operation for each day. Identify how many registers can accept WIC, and whether any are self-checkout.
5) SNAP Authorization Status
You do not need SNAP approval to apply for WIC. If you are SNAP approved, you must not have been denied, suspended, disqualified, terminated, or fined in the past two years. Select one status and provide numbers or an explanation if disqualified.
6) Annual Sales Information
Provide annual dollar amounts by category for your most recent tax year or last 12 months. New stores may estimate. Include an estimate of WIC sales for a full year. If estimated WIC sales are more than 50 percent of your total food sales, your application will be denied.
7) Suppliers Information
Select where you purchase most food for resale and identify your primary grocery wholesaler. You must buy infant formula only from suppliers approved by the State of Illinois. At the initial site visit you must show a recent invoice or receipt from the infant formula supplier listed, with your store name and address.
8) Ownership Information
Provide FEIN or SSN, whether ownership changed in the last 12 months, your ownership type, and required background disclosures.
- Ownership type must match the Secretary of State record. Choose Sole Proprietor, Partnership or LLP, or Corporation, Cooperative, or LLC.
- Answer questions about prior ownership of other stores, SNAP or WIC penalties, and criminal convictions, and provide brief explanations if Yes.
Sole Proprietor
Enter the owner's name, driver's license or state ID, phone, home address, and percentage owned.
Partnership or LLP
Indicate how many partners and enter each partner's name, driver's license or state ID, phone, home address, and percentage owned. Include all partners listed in the latest Secretary of State annual report.
Corporation, Cooperative, or LLC
Provide entity name, mailing address, state of incorporation, and President or CEO details including percentage owned. Indicate additional officers, whether you are a member-owned cooperative, and the number of shareholders. Then provide shareholder details for the top two shareholders. Shareholders must match your most recent annual report.
9) Store Point-of-Sale (POS) System
WIC transactions use the Illinois WIC EBT card through EBT processing. Vendors must operate a WIC-certified integrated cash register system unless participant access criteria are met. Work with your POS provider to answer these questions correctly. Indicate Integrated POS or Separate POS Device, select your POS provider, name your Third-Party Processor, and provide POS contact information.
10) Supporting Documents Upload
Upload all required documents in one submission, then check each item you included.
Required for all applicants:
- Proof of FEIN or SSN
- Proof of identity for each corporate officer, LLC member, partner, or owner
- Proof of compliance with local city and county business requirements showing you meet IDPH rules for selling refrigerated food
Required if applicable:
- Proof of SNAP authorization
- Additional owner or officer information
- Bill of Sale
- Proof of incorporation if incorporated outside Illinois
- Pharmacy license
11) Certification of Compliance and Signature
Read the certification carefully. By signing, the signer affirms authority to sign, understands approval is not guaranteed, confirms the truth of all information, agrees to comply with WIC rules and regulations, and understands IDHS may verify information and may deny or rescind authorization for false or incomplete statements. The authorized owner, partner, or officer signs electronically.
After You Submit
Your application is reviewed by IDHS. If denied, you will see the specific reason under Section 672.220 and you may appeal within 15 calendar days of the date of denial. Denied applicants may not reapply for at least 180 days.
Need help?
Email the WIC Vendor Relations Unit at DHS.WICVendor@illinois.gov.
