# 2026-22679: WIC Goes Digital, Bringing Online Ordering to Food Assistance 2026-22679, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Online Ordering and Transactions and Food Delivery Revisions To Meet the Needs of a Modern, Data-Driven Program, is a Federal Register rule from Agriculture Department, Food and Nutrition Administration published 2026-11-06, effective 2026-12-07; deemed significant under Executive Order 12866; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-06). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22679 - As of: 2026-11-06 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-22679 - Title: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Online Ordering and Transactions and Food Delivery Revisions To Meet the Needs of a Modern, Data-Driven Program - Type: Rule - Agencies: Agriculture Department; Food and Nutrition Administration - Citation: 91 FR 70250 - Published: 2026-11-06 - Effective: 2026-12-07 - Comments close: 2027-01-05 - Significant: yes (OIRA_API) - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 0584-AE85 - Last updated: 2026-11-06 ## In one line WIC Goes Digital, Bringing Online Ordering to Food Assistance ## Summary Starting December 7, 2026, the WIC program is getting a tech upgrade! This means easier online ordering, smoother food delivery, and better use of data to help moms, babies, and kids get healthy food faster. States will have new tools to modernize WIC while keeping everything secure and fair, with clear deadlines to follow and room for feedback until January 5, 2027. ## Abstract This final rule considers public comments submitted in response to the proposed rule to remove barriers to online ordering and internet-based transactions in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) published on February 23, 2023. USDA FNA is issuing this regulatory action to support State innovation and develop and implement modernized systems, while underscoring program integrity. It allows for the use of new technologies to improve the WIC shopping experience while increasing access to healthy foods for WIC participants. This final rule also complements the Program's complete transition to electronic benefit transfer (EBT) by streamlining and modernizing certain WIC food delivery regulations to support current technology and future innovation, and introduces measures to support a modern, data-driven program that uses new technologies for food delivery. ## Effects PRIA read - WIC may allow internet-based purchases: benefit, medium. The rule removes the prohibition on internet-based vendors and allows vendors and WIC shoppers to complete internet-based transactions. State agencies may authorize internet and mobile vendors and permit online ordering and internet-based transactions under State agency policy. - No in-person signature or PIN requirement: benefit, low. The rule removes the requirement that WIC shoppers sign paper food instruments in the presence of a cashier and removes the regulatory requirement to use a personal identification number (PIN) in lieu of a signature. The Department expects PIN will remain the default until alternative authenticatio… - Transaction authentication policies required: benefit, low. State agencies must have appropriate transaction authentication policies for the technologies they allow, and vendors, farmers, and farmers' markets must authenticate EBT transactions in accordance with State agency policies. The rule establishes the PIN as the default authentication method until n… - Modernize electronic benefit issuance and delivery: benefit, medium. The rule streamlines WIC food delivery to reflect the Program's transition to electronic benefit transfer (EBT): it creates definitions for electronic benefits and cash-value benefits, allows remote issuance of electronic benefits (separating issuance provisions for paper vs electronic), permits St… - Farmers and markets can sell WIC online: benefit, low. The rule permits authorized farmers and farmers' markets to sell produce online and encourages State agencies to allow participants to transact their cash-value benefits (CVB) with farmers and at farmers' markets, enabling online purchases of farm-fresh produce. - Prohibition on WIC purchase-related vendor fees: benefit, low. The rule applies a prohibition against vendors, farmers, and farmers' markets charging fees associated with a WIC purchase to all vendor types (not limited to online shopping). This is intended to ensure consistent treatment across vendor types. - State agencies may pay delivery/fee costs with non-WIC funds: mixed, low. The rule clarifies State agencies may use non-WIC funds to pay for costs associated with WIC purchases and to directly cover transportation costs for home food delivery and direct distribution, but such non-WIC funds cannot be used in retail food delivery systems. - Returned electronic benefits and use window: benefit, medium. Vendors may return electronic benefits to a participant's benefit balance when online orders are not fulfilled, and State agencies must provide participants no less than seven (7) days to use returned electronic benefits; use of returned benefits beyond the Last Date To Use (LDTU) may be allowed by… ## Related documents - [2026-21658](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-21658): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Electronic Benefits Transfer Card Security Measures, 2026-10-23 - [2026-16760](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16760): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Changes in Federal-State Administrative Cost Sharing; Extension of Comment Period, 2026-08-17 - [2026-12696](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12696): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Changes in Federal-State Administrative Cost Sharing, 2026-06-24 - [2026-22388](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22388): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State of North Dakota SNAP Demonstration Project, 2026-11-03 - [2026-22389](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22389): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State of Montana SNAP Demonstration Project, 2026-11-03 - [2026-22387](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22387): Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State of South Carolina SNAP Demonstration Project, 2026-11-03 ## Sources - [2026-22679 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/11/06/2026-22679/special-supplemental-nutrition-program-for-women-infants-and-children-wic-online-ordering-and) - [2026-22679 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-11-06/pdf/2026-22679.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-22677, Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Wishkah River, Aberdeen, WA](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22677) - [Next: 2026-22680, Prohibiting Illegal Discrimination in Registered Apprenticeship Programs](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22680) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22679 (as of 2026-11-06).