William Lipovsky
Short Answer
CVS accepts WIC for eligible purchases at many locations; however, whether your local CVS accepts WIC will depend on whether your state has approved it as a WIC retailer.
Does CVS Accept WIC?
CVS accepts WIC at many stores, but state approval is required for the store to take WIC.
We checked CVS stores and official state-approved WIC vendor lists in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania; locations in Arizona and California did not accept WIC.
Because each state approves its WIC vendors individually, it’s best to contact your local store to confirm its status as a WIC retailer.
WIC-Approved Items at CVS
You cannot use WIC to buy every item available at CVS.
Your local WIC agency will provide you with a full list of acceptable food items and the specific brands you can purchase with your benefits, but in general, you can purchase the following types of food at CVS:
- Baby food containing fruit, meat, and vegetables
- Infant cereals
- Infant formulas
- Breakfast cereals
- Yogurt
- Peanut butter
- Canned beans
- Canned fish
- Cheese
- Juice
- Milk
How to Use WIC Benefits
Depending on which state you live in, you may receive either WIC checks or an EBT card, which you can use to spend your benefits.
EBT cards work like debit cards; you’ll use the register’s card reader to pay for your purchase. To use a WIC check, make sure your check is in-date and present it to the cashier.
Other Stores That Take WIC
For more information on using WIC at pharmacies, see our research on the acceptance policy at Walgreens.
Besides pharmacies, there are many other WIC-approved stores near you. You can also see our comprehensive list of grocery stores that accept WIC and WIC-only stores.
