How to Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA)
A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is the most useful document in hemp retail. It is an independent lab report describing what a specific batch of product actually contains. If you learn to read one, you can verify a product’s cannabinoid content yourself instead of taking a label at face value. This guide walks through the sections you will see most often.
Start with the header
The top of a COA identifies the testing laboratory, the product or sample name, and a batch or lot number. It also carries a test date. These details exist so the report can be tied to one specific run of product. A trustworthy COA comes from a named, independent lab — not an unattributed figure — and lists how to reach that lab. Match the batch number to the product you are holding and confirm the date is reasonably recent.
The cannabinoid panel
The heart of the report is the cannabinoid panel, a table of compounds and their measured concentrations, usually shown both as a percentage and in milligrams per gram. For raw flower, the two figures that matter most are THCA and Delta-9 THC, reported separately. The THCA percentage reflects how much precursor the flower carries; the Delta-9 THC percentage is the one tied to the federal hemp definition. If those terms are new, our guide on what THCA is and our comparison of THCA vs. Delta-9 THC give you the vocabulary.
Reading abbreviations and limits
Panels use shorthand. “ND” means none detected; “LOQ” is the limit of quantitation, the smallest amount the method can reliably measure; and a result below that limit may read “<LOQ.” Many COAs also list a “total THC” figure, which applies a conversion factor to estimate how much THC would result if the THCA were fully decarboxylated. Knowing these labels keeps you from misreading a blank or a trace result as something it is not.
Safety screens
Beyond cannabinoids, a fuller COA may include screens for pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbial contaminants. These sections usually show a pass or fail against an action limit. Their presence is a sign the producer tested for more than just potency, though the exact panels tested can vary by product and lab.
Why it ties back to the law
The COA is also how the federal framework is verified in practice. Hemp is defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight, and hemp-derived cannabinoids meeting that definition are not federally controlled substances. The Delta-9 THC line on the panel is the figure that demonstrates compliance. Our Is this legal? page lays out the full framework.
Common questions
What is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis, or COA, is a lab report from an independent testing laboratory that documents what a specific batch of product contains.
For hemp products, it typically reports the cannabinoid breakdown and may include screens for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and microbials.
Which cannabinoid numbers matter most?
For raw flower, the two figures buyers check most are the THCA percentage and the Delta-9 THC percentage, which are reported separately.
The Delta-9 THC figure is the one tied to the federal hemp definition of no more than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight.
How do I know a COA matches the product I am buying?
Check that the batch or lot number on the COA matches the product, and that the test date is recent.
A COA from an accredited third-party lab, with the lab’s name and contact details, is more reliable than an unlabeled or in-house figure.
The short version
Match the batch number, check the date, read the cannabinoid panel, and confirm the Delta-9 THC figure sits within the hemp definition. A COA from a named third-party lab turns a label claim into something you can verify. Every Flora Distro product is hemp-derived, Farm Bill compliant, and lab tested — you can apply this to anything in the flower category or the full shop.
All products sold at Flora Distro are Farm Bill compliant, hemp-derived, and lab tested. Must be 21 or older to purchase.