What a Certificate of Analysis Is¶
A certificate of analysis, or COA, is a document produced by a laboratory that has tested a specific batch of cannabis or hemp product. It records the results of chemical and safety testing for that batch. Virginia hemp rules require edible hemp products to be accompanied by a COA from an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory 1. ISO 17025 accreditation means the lab has met internationally recognized standards for testing competence.
The COA is tied to a specific production batch, not to a product line in general. A single brand may produce many batches, each with its own COA.
Finding the COA for Your Product¶
Most regulated cannabis and hemp products carry a batch or lot number on the label 2. That number is the key to locating the correct COA. Many producers print a QR code on the package that links directly to the COA for that batch. If no QR code is present, the batch number can usually be entered on the producer's website to retrieve the document.
What Each Section of a COA Reports¶
Sample information. The top of a COA typically identifies the product name, the producer, the batch or lot number, the date the sample was collected, and the date testing was completed. Matching the lot number on the COA to the lot number printed on your package confirms you are reading the right document 2.
Cannabinoid profile. This section lists the measured concentrations of cannabinoids in the product, including THC, THCA, CBD, and others. Hemp plants produce far more THCA than THC, and THCA can convert to THC when heated, so most state programs report a total THC figure that combines both 3. Virginia requires edible hemp product labels to state milligrams of THC per serving, total milligrams in the package, and the total percentage of THC. A label that says only "less than 0.3% THC" does not satisfy that requirement 1. The COA should show the underlying numbers that support whatever the label states.
Regulated dried cannabis flower concentrations generally range from 0.01% to 30% THC and/or CBD. Regulated extracts, topicals, and oils generally have a maximum THC content of 1000 mg per container, though allowable THC content varies by region 2.
Terpenes. This section, when present, reports the aromatic compounds found in the product.
Microbials. This section reports whether the product contains harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, mold, or yeast above acceptable limits.
Heavy metals. Testing checks for the presence of metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. Cannabis plants can absorb metals from soil, so this test matters for products grown in varied conditions.
Pesticides. This section reports whether residues from agricultural pesticides are present and at what levels.
Residual solvents. Extraction processes used to make concentrates, oils, and edibles sometimes use chemical solvents. This section confirms whether any solvents remain in the final product and at what concentration.
Mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain molds. This section reports whether any are present above safe levels.
Foreign matter. This section confirms the product is free of physical contaminants such as insects, hair, or plant material that should not be present.
Moisture and water activity. These measurements indicate how much water is present in the product. High moisture or water activity can promote mold growth during storage.
Questions to Ask of Any COA¶
A few plain checks help you evaluate whether a COA is meaningful.
Does the batch number match? The lot or batch number on the COA must match the number printed on your package 2. A COA for a different batch tells you nothing about what is in your product.
Who did the testing? Virginia requires that edible hemp product COAs come from an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory 1. Check whether the lab named on the COA holds that accreditation. A COA produced by the manufacturer's own in-house lab rather than an independent third-party lab offers less assurance 2.
Did every safety test pass? Scan the microbials, heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, mycotoxins, and foreign matter sections. Each should show a clear pass result or a "not detected" or "ND" result for harmful substances. Any fail result or missing section is worth noting.
Do the cannabinoid numbers match the label? The milligrams of THC per serving and per package shown on the COA should correspond to what the label states 1. Virginia's labeling rules require those figures to appear on the label, so a significant discrepancy between the label and the COA is a red flag 1.
How recent is the COA? A COA dated years before purchase may not reflect the current batch. Check the testing date against the production or packaging date on the label.
Virginia's Regulatory Context¶
The Virginia Cannabis Control Authority oversees the Commonwealth's medical cannabis program, adult-use retail market, and regulated hemp products 4. Following action by the 2026 General Assembly, oversight of retail edible and inhalable hemp products transferred from VDACS to the CCA 5. The CCA will develop regulations and establish a licensing process for the retail marijuana market, with retail marijuana sales expected to begin July 1, 2027 6 7.
Beginning August 15, 2026, a hemp product with more than two milligrams of total THC per package cannot be produced or sold as a hemp product in Virginia 8. Virginia also eliminated the previous allowance that permitted some hemp products to exceed that limit if they contained 25 parts CBD for every one part THC 8.
At the federal level, a new statutory definition of hemp sets a total THC concentration limit, including THCA, of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis, and limits final retail hemp-derived cannabinoid products to no more than 0.4 milligrams of combined total THC per container 9. How total THC must be calculated under the new federal definition has not yet been confirmed 10.
With thousands of products on the market and labeling requirements that vary by region, the COA remains one of the most direct ways to check what has actually been measured in a specific batch 2.