California Requires a Scannable Link to the COA on Every Hemp Product

California is the largest hemp market in the country, and its labeling rule is refreshingly literal: the buyer must be able to reach the certificate of analysis for that batch from the package. A QR code is the named, practical way to do it — and the batch number on the label has to match the one on the COA.

What the statute says

California Health & Safety Code § 111926.2 (added by AB 45, the law that legalized hemp in food, beverages, and supplements statewide) requires the label to carry, verbatim:

“A label, scannable barcode, internet website, or quick response (QR) code linked to the certificate of analysis”

and separately:

“The batch number, which matches the batch number on the product”

Source: California Health & Safety Code § 111926.2 (codified text, verified August 2026). AB 45 (2021–2022) is the enacting bill.

What the certificate itself has to show

The statute doesn't just require a link — it specifies what sits behind it. The certificate of analysis must include:

The batch number is the hinge. Two separate provisions turn on it: the label must show it, and the COA behind the link must carry the same one. A QR that lands on a general “lab results” page — where a buyer or an inspector has to match a lot number themselves — satisfies the letter poorly and the intent not at all. One scan should land on that batch's certificate.

Why this breaks after printing, not before

Labels are printed once, in volume. The requirement is judged on what the code resolves to for as long as that product is on a shelf — which can be a year or more after the print run. COAs parked on a page of the brand's own site, in a shared drive, or behind a lab portal link all share one weakness: a redesign, a folder reorganization, an expiring share link, or a retest quietly changes what the scan finds. Nothing on the package changes. Nobody notices until someone scans.

The structural answer is a page whose only job is to show one batch's COA, at a URL that never moves — with the ability to replace the document behind it (a corrected report, a retest, an added panel) without touching the printed code.

A permanent QR per batch, straight to the COA

BatchLink gives every batch a permanent URL and a printable QR that opens the certificate directly — batch number, lab, and test date on the page. Swap the certificate later without reprinting a single label. Free for your first two batches.

Create a free batch page

Related reading

This page summarizes California's published statute as of August 2026 in plain English. It isn't legal advice; the official statutory text controls and laws change. Verify the current text of Health & Safety Code § 111926.2 before a print run.