How To Read a CBD COA (In Plain English)

by Jordan Bergsrud

 

How to Read a CBD COA (In Plain English)

 


If you’ve ever opened a CBD COA and thought “cool… but what am I looking at?” you’re not alone.


A COA (Certificate of Analysis) is a third-party lab report that shows what’s in your product (like CBD + THC levels) and what’s not in it (like pesticides, heavy metals, and microbes). 


At Cross Country Wellness, transparency matters. That’s why we make it easy to access our lab results.


CTA: See our COAs → (link this text to your Lab Results page or product COA page)

 

 

 

The 60-second COA checklist (save this)

 


Before you read any numbers, check these four things:

 

  1. Product name matches what you bought

  2. Batch/Lot number matches your package

  3. Test date is recent (not years old)

  4. Third-party lab (not “in-house only”) 

 


If any of those are missing, that’s a red flag.

 

 

 

Step 1: Find the “Basics” section

 


Most COAs start with a header that includes:

 

  • Product name

  • Batch / Lot number

  • Sample ID

  • Test date

  • Lab name

 


This is the “ID check.” If the batch number doesn’t match your product, stop there.

 

 

 

Step 2: Read the Cannabinoid Profile (potency)

 


This is the section most people care about first.


You’ll typically see cannabinoids like:

 

  • CBD / CBDA

  • THC (Delta-9 THC) / THCA

  • Sometimes CBG, CBC, CBN, etc.

 


 

What you’re looking for

 


A) CBD amount matches the label

Depending on the product type, the lab may show potency as:

 

  • mg/mL (common for tinctures)

  • mg/g or % by weight

  • mg per unit (common for gummies/capsules)

 


Quick example (tincture):

If a COA shows 33.3 mg/mL and your bottle is 30 mL, then:

33.3 × 30 = 999 mg total CBD (basically a 1000 mg bottle).


Quick example (gummies):

If COA shows 30 mg CBD per gummy and there are 20 gummies:

30 × 20 = 600 mg total CBD.


B) Check THC numbers (especially for full spectrum)

You’ll often see both Delta-9 THC and THCA listed. Some COAs also show “Total THC.”


A common way labs calculate Total THC is:

Total THC = (THCA × 0.877) + THC 


You don’t need to do the math if the COA already lists Total THC, but it helps you understand why you might see multiple THC lines.

 

 

 

Step 3: Decode “ND,” “LOD,” and “LOQ” (this is where people get stuck)

 


These appear in potency sections and safety testing sections.

 

  • ND = “Not Detected” (not found above the lab’s detection limit) 

  • LOD = the smallest amount a lab can detect

  • LOQ = the smallest amount a lab can measure accurately 

 


So ND is generally good, especially in contaminant panels. It usually means “below detectable levels,” not always “absolute zero.” 

 

 

 

Step 4: Look for the Safety Panels (the “clean” tests)

 


A legit COA usually includes more than potency. You want to see “Pass” (or ND/below limits) on:


 

Heavy Metals

 


Often includes:

 

  • Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury

 


Hemp can pull things from soil, so this panel matters. 


 

Pesticides

 


Shows whether common pesticides/herbicides were detected.


 

Residual Solvents

 


Checks for solvents that can be used during extraction.


 

Microbials

 


Looks for microbial contamination (like certain bacteria, yeast, or mold).


Many COA guides summarize these as the core “safety five” panels. 

 

 

 

Step 5: Spot the biggest COA red flags

 


If you want to avoid sketchy products, watch for:

 

  • No batch/lot number

  • Only potency shown (no safety testing)

  • Very old test date

  • COA that can’t be verified by QR code or link 

  • Big mismatch between label claim and lab potency

 

 

 

 

Why this matters (and how we stay compliant)

 


We keep our education honest and compliant. In general, CBD brands should avoid marketing products as if they diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases—that’s a major focus of FDA enforcement. 


That’s why we focus on:

 

  • Transparency (COAs)

  • Quality standards

  • Clear labeling and batch testing

 


CTA: See our COAs → https://www.crosscountrywellness.com/pages/certificates-of-analysis

 

 

 

FAQ: COA questions we get all the time

 


What does “ND” mean on a CBD COA?

ND means “Not Detected” above the lab’s detection limit. 


What’s the difference between LOD and LOQ?

LOD is what can be detected; LOQ is what can be measured accurately. 


Should a COA include pesticides and heavy metals?

Best practice is to include potency + safety panels like pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbials. 

 

 

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Back to How to Read a CBD COA