Missouri Cannabis Testing Overview

Required.

All cannabis products (medical and adult-use) must be tested by a licensed testing facility prior to sale or transfer. Each batch must receive a Certificate of Analysis (COA) submitted through the state’s METRC tracking system. Testing results must verify compliance with all state-defined contaminant and potency thresholds.

Required.

Cannabinoid potency testing includes (but is not limited to):

• Δ⁹-THC
• THCA
• CBD
• CBDA
• Total THC and Total CBD (using standard decarboxylation formulas)

Potency results are required on COAs and product labels.

Optional/ Voluntary.

Terpene profiling is not required, but if terpenes are listed on the label or used for marketing claims, licensed labs must verify and quantify them. 

Comprehensive panel required.

• Pesticides:
  • Products must pass testing against a state-mandated list of prohibited pesticides.
  • Detection above action limits results in automatic batch failure and       disposal.
  • Missouri prohibits remediation of failed pesticide tests.

• Microbial Contaminants:
  • Testing includes:
    • Salmonella spp.
    • Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC)
    • Aspergillus flavus, fumigatus, niger, terreus
    • Total aerobic bacteria
    • Yeast and mold

• Mycotoxins:
  • Aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2): ≤20 ppb
  • Ochratoxin A: ≤20 ppb

• Heavy Metals:
  • Arsenic
  • Lead
  • Cadmium
  • Mercury      
  • No current requirement for Chromium or Nickel.

• Visual Inspection for Foreign Material: Labs must screen for:
  • Insects
  • Mold
  • Hair
  • Plastic, glass, or metal fragments

Missouri’s testing program is among the most complete in the U.S., though it does not require testing for:

• Listeria monocytogenes
• Shigella spp.
• Chromium or Nickel
• Terpenes (unless voluntarily claimed)

Low Concern: 

Missouri enforces a robust testing program and added a “round-robin” auditing requirement in 2024. Licensed laboratories are now required to test peer lab samples multiple times per year to verify analytical consistency and discourage lab shopping. 

Required.

• Flower: ≤ 0.65 aw

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS): Division of Cannabis Regulation  

Website: https://health.mo.gov/safety/cannabis  

Phone: (866) 219-0165 

Address: 920 Wildwood Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. (2023). Cannabis Division Testing Requirements

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. (2024). Cannabis product testing rule updates.

Missouri Code of State Regulations. (June 30, 2020). Chapter 95-Medical Marijuana.