RFID Tag
A radio-frequency-identification label used in some state cannabis track-and-trace programs — most notably METRC plant tags — to attach a unique, machine-readable identifier to a plant or package that can be read at distance without line-of-sight.
What an RFID tag is in cannabis
An RFID (radio-frequency identification) tag is a small label with an embedded chip and antenna that can be read by an RFID scanner without needing to be visually scanned. METRC uses RFID tags for cannabis plants in most of its states — every plant in a licensed grow gets a unique tag attached at the immature plant stage, and that tag follows the plant through its lifecycle.
Some states also use RFID tags for packages; others use printed barcodes. Verify your state's specific format.
Operational considerations
- Tag purchase — operators buy tags directly from METRC at state-published rates
- Attachment — physically affixed to the plant; can't be modified
- Movement — every room change, growth-stage transition, or destruction is recorded against the tag
- Lifecycle — tag is "finished" at harvest, with weight allocated to the resulting harvest batch and child package tags
Why it matters to compliance
Plant tag counts are one of the first things an inspector verifies. A walkthrough of the cultivation area compares physical plant count to METRC's record per room. Untagged plants are an immediate finding; tagged plants without corresponding METRC records are worse. An SOP requiring same-day tag attachment for every transplant, with a daily plant count reconciliation, is the practical defense.
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