CBD Flower COA & Lab Testing Guide

A certificate of analysis (COA) is the document that proves what is in your CBD flower. This guide explains how to read one.

What is a COA?

A COA is a report issued by an independent, accredited laboratory detailing the cannabinoid content, terpene profile, and contaminant screening of a specific batch. A proper COA is third-party — never supplied by the grower or seller alone.

Cannabinoid profile

The cannabinoid section reports CBD, THC, CBG, CBN, and CBC content by weight (usually as a percentage). The two numbers that matter most:

• CBD % — the active cannabidioid content. Higher means more CBD per gram.
• THC % — must be below the legal threshold for your destination (0.3% US Farm Bill, 0.3% EU, 0.001% for South Africa's wellness exemption).

Terpene profile

Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that drive a strain's effects and flavour. A COA listing terpenes (myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, linalool, pinene) lets you predict whether a strain will feel calming, uplifting, or balanced.

Contaminant screening

A complete COA screens for:

• Microbiological — yeast, mould, bacteria.
• Pesticides — residue from cultivation.
• Heavy metals — absorbed from soil.

Pass results across all three confirm the flower is safe to sell.

How to use a COA when buying

1. Match the batch number on the COA to the batch you receive.
2. Confirm THC is within your destination's limit.
3. Check CBD content matches the supplier's claim.
4. Verify all contaminant screens passed.

Summary

A third-party COA is non-negotiable for compliant wholesale CBD flower. If a supplier cannot provide one for every batch, find another supplier.