Testing lab

A cannabis testing laboratory is a state-licensed, independent third-party facility that performs regulatory compliance testing on cannabis flower, concentrates, edibles, and other products before retail sale. Nearly all regulated markets require ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation — the international standard for laboratory competence, impartiality, and consistent operation — issued by an ILAC-recognized accreditation body such as A2LA, ANAB, PJLA, or IAS. California's DCC Type 8 license requires ISO 17025 accreditation, with a provisional path while accreditation is pursued. Effective January 1, 2024, California labs must use DCC's standardized cannabinoids test method. Required analytes typically include cannabinoid potency, terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals, microbial contaminants, mycotoxins, residual solvents, moisture content, water activity, and foreign material. Regulators in 2025–2026 have intensified enforcement against "lab shopping" and potency inflation, suspending labs found falsifying results. ASTM Committee D37.03 publishes consensus cannabis laboratory standards (including D8270 terminology and WK64336 post-harvest sampling). → See also: COA, Potency testing, Pesticide testing