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Does CBD Show Up on a Drug Test?

Standard workplace drug tests don't look for CBD. They look for marijuana metabolites, which the body makes from THC. The problem is that many CBD products are not what their labels say, and some contain THC. So using a CBD product can lead to a marijuana-positive result. This guide explains what Pact's 10-panel tests for, what research and the FDA say about CBD products, and how a CBD explanation is treated. It is general information, not medical or legal advice.

Updated October 14, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end

What the test looks for

Pact's $40 10-panel is Quest unit code 65190N. Quest's sheet lists marijuana metabolites with a 50 ng/mL screening cutoff and a 15 ng/mL confirmation cutoff. CBD is not on the list.

SAMHSA's guide for doctors says lab tests for marijuana are designed to detect THC-COOH, the major inactive metabolite of THC. The federal DOT cutoff table names the same target, THCA, at the same 50 and 15 ng/mL levels (49 CFR 40.85). So the question isn't whether a test finds CBD. It's whether the product you used had enough THC to leave metabolites above the cutoff.

CBD labels are often wrong

A 2017 study in JAMA bought 84 CBD products online from 31 companies and tested them. About 31% (26 products) were accurately labeled for CBD. THC was detected in 18 of the 84 products, about 21%.

That study is from 2017, and products change. But it shows you can't tell from a label alone what a product contains.
The FDA says it has approved only one prescription CBD drug, Epidiolex, and that there are no other FDA-approved drug products containing CBD.
The FDA also says unapproved products have not been evaluated for whether they work, the proper dose, drug interactions or safety.

Delta-8 THC and "hemp" products

The FDA warns that delta-8 THC is psychoactive, with effects similar to delta-9 THC, and that delta-8 products have not been evaluated or approved by the FDA for safe use. It adds that some are labeled simply as "hemp products", which may mislead people who think hemp means non-psychoactive.

Pact doesn't have a lab statement on how delta-8 products show up on this panel. If you use them and you're being tested, ask your doctor or the MRO. Don't assume a "hemp" label means no THC.

Hemp foods

SAMHSA's 2012 guide says THC metabolites have been found in urine after eating hemp seed foods, such as hemp seed oil or flour, but usually the THC in those foods is too low to cause a positive urine test. CBD extracts are a different product. The JAMA study above found THC in about one in five of the extracts it tested.

Will a CBD explanation help?

On Pact's 10-panel, a lab result that isn't negative goes to a medical review officer (MRO), a physician who asks about prescriptions before the result is final.

For DOT tests, the rule is clear. Under 49 CFR 40.151(f), an MRO must not accept use of hemp or other non-prescription marijuana products as a reason to verify a marijuana test as negative. Pact's 10-panel is non-DOT, and the MRO decides each case. Don't count on a CBD explanation working.

Prescription products are different. SAMHSA notes that Marinol and Sativex cause positive results because they contain THC. If you take a prescription medicine, tell the MRO and have your prescription details ready.

Labels, "THC-free" claims and what you can check

The FDA lists its concerns about delta-8 and similar products: variable formulations and labeling, other cannabinoid content, and variable THC concentrations. The JAMA study found the same kind of problem in CBD extracts. A label claim alone is not proof of what is in a product.

A drug test doesn't care why THC metabolites are there. The lab reports whether marijuana metabolites were found at or above the cutoff. Explanations come later, in the MRO review, and as noted above a CBD explanation may not change the result.

For employers

Say in your written policy how a marijuana result is handled, and apply it the same way to everyone.
Check state law before testing applicants for marijuana. California, for example, generally bars most employers from denying a job because a test shows nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites (Gov. Code 12954), and Nevada bars refusing to hire over a marijuana screen, with exceptions (NRS 613.132).
DOT-covered drivers must still be tested for marijuana under DOT rules.
Pact's 10-panel includes marijuana. Pact's order page doesn't list a version without it, so ask Pact before you order if you need one.

If you're tested at work

Read your employer's drug policy, and ask if anything is unclear.
DOT-regulated drivers face strict federal rules. See our guide to marijuana, CBD and DOT drivers.
Some states limit how employers use marijuana results for job applicants. State law varies, so ask the employer or an attorney.
Talk to your doctor before starting or stopping any product. This page isn't medical advice.

Common questions

Does CBD show up on a drug test?

Standard tests don't look for CBD. They look for marijuana metabolites from THC. A CBD product that contains THC can cause a marijuana-positive result.

Does Pact's 10-panel test for CBD?

No. It tests for marijuana metabolites, with a 50 ng/mL screen and a 15 ng/mL confirmation cutoff. CBD isn't on Quest's list for unit code 65190N.

Can a CBD product really contain THC?

Yes. In a 2017 JAMA study of 84 CBD products sold online, THC was detected in 18 of them.

Can I explain a positive with CBD use?

For DOT tests, no: 49 CFR 40.151(f) bars it. For Pact's non-DOT test, the MRO decides, but don't count on it.

Does delta-8 THC show up on a drug test?

Pact doesn't have a lab statement on how delta-8 products show up on its panel. The FDA says delta-8 is psychoactive and that some products are labeled simply as hemp. Ask your doctor or the MRO.

Will hemp seed foods make me test positive?

SAMHSA says THC in hemp seed foods is usually too low to cause a positive urine test. CBD extracts are a different product.