Motion picture content rating system


A motion picture content rating system classifies films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for children or adolescents. Most countries have some form of rating system that issues determinations variously known as certifications, classifications, certificates, or ratings. Age recommendations, of either an advisory or restrictive capacity, are often applied in lieu of censorship; in some jurisdictions movie theaters may have a legal obligation to enforce restrictive ratings.
In some countries such as Australia, Canada, and Singapore, an official government body decides on ratings; in other countries such as Denmark, Japan, and the United States, it is done by industry committees with little if any official government status. In most countries, however, films that are considered morally offensive have been censored, restricted, or banned. Even if the film rating system has no legal consequences, and a film has not explicitly been restricted or banned, there are usually laws forbidding certain films, or forbidding minors to view them. The influence of specific factors in deciding a rating varies from country to country.
Other factors may or may not influence the classification process, such as being set within a non-fictional historical context, whether the film glorifies violence or drug use, whether said violence or drug use is carried out by the protagonist, with whom the viewer should empathize, or by the antagonist. In Germany, for example, films depicting explicit war violence in a real war context are handled more leniently than films with purely fictional settings.
A film may be produced with a particular rating in mind. It may be re-edited if the desired rating is not obtained, especially to avoid a higher rating than intended. A film may also be re-edited to produce a different version for other countries.

Comparison table

A comparison of current film rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis. Note however that the specific criteria used in assigning a classification can vary widely from one country to another. Therefore, the color codes and age ranges are not directly comparable from one country to another.
Key:
  • White – No restrictions: Suitable for all ages / Aimed at young audiences / Exempt / Not rated / No applicable rating.
  • Yellow – Advisory: Parental guidance is suggested for designated age range.
  • Purple – Strong advisory: Not recommended for a younger audience but not restricted.
  • Red – Restricted: Parental accompaniment required for younger audiences.
  • Black – Prohibitive: Exclusively for older audience / Restricted to licensed premises / Purchase age-restricted / Banned.

    Argentina

Through its Advisory Commission of Cinematographic Exhibition the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts issues ratings for films based on the following categories:
  • ATP: For all public.
  • +13: Suitable for 13-year-olds and over. Children under the age of 13 are admitted if accompanied by an adult.
  • +16: Suitable for 16-year-olds and over.
  • +18: Suitable for 18-year-olds and over.
  • C: Suitable for 18-year-olds and over. Restricted to specially licensed venues.

    Australia

The Classification Board and Classification Review Board are government-funded organisations which classify all films that are released for public exhibition.
  • Advisory categories
  • * Check the Classification - Message for unclassified films and computer games The film or computer game has been assessed and approved for advertising. You should check the classification closer to the release date. Advertising relating to unclassified films and games must display the CTC message - this includes posters, trailers, internet posts, and any other type of advertising. Once the content is classified, the classification marking should replace the CTC marking on all advertising material.
  • * General – General. The content is very mild in impact. The G classification is suitable for everyone.
  • * Parental Guidance – Parental guidance recommended. The content is mild in impact. It is not recommended for viewing or playing by persons under 15 without guidance from parents or guardians.
  • * Mature – Recommended for mature audiences. The content is moderate in impact. Children under 15 may legally access this material because it is an advisory category. However, M classified films and computer games may include classifiable elements such as violence and nudity of moderate impact that are not recommended for children under 15 years.
  • Restricted categories
  • * Mature Accompanied – Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. The content is strong in impact.
  • * Restricted – Restricted to 18 years and over. The content is high in impact. Despite this category being legally restricted, in Queensland the restriction is not applicable to persons under 2.
  • Adult film categories
  • * Restricted – Restricted to 18 years and over. This classification is a special and legally restricted category which contains only sexually explicit content. That is, material which shows actual sexual intercourse and other sexual activity between consenting adults. X 18+ films are only available for sale or hire in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
  • * Refused Classification – Refused Classification. Banned from sale or hire in the country and cannot be legally imported. Films are rated RC if their content is very high in impact and exceeds the guidelines.
Films intended to inform, educate or instruct or concerned with sport, religion or music are exempt from classification provided they do not contain material that would result in an "M" rating or higher if submitted for classification.

Austria

Motion pictures are rated by the Austrian Board of Media Classification for the Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. The recommendations made by the ABMC are generally not legally binding and there are nine sets of state laws on the cinema sector with different age provisions. The only exception is in the case of "16" rated films, since under Austrian law there is a legal age restriction on certain types of content i.e. discrimination, sexual abuse, glorification of violence etc. In addition to the ABMC's age recommendations, in the state of Vienna children under the age of 6 are only permitted to attend public film performances if they are accompanied.
The AMBC issues age recommendation from the following categories:
  • Unrestricted – Released for all age groups.
  • 6+ – Released for children from age 6.
  • 8+ - Released from children from age 8.
  • 10+ – Released for children from age 10.
  • 12+ – Released for children from age 12.
  • 14+ – Released from age 14.
  • 16+ – Released from age 16. Restricted classification.

    Bahamas

The Bahamas Plays and Films Control Board classifies films in the Bahamas. Upon completion of the examination the Board will classify the film in accordance with the following ratings:
  • A - Suitable for all ages.
  • B - Suitable for adults; persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult.
  • T - Suitable for persons 15 and over, persons under 15 years are not admitted whether accompanied by an adult or not.
  • C - Suitable for adults only, persons under 18 years are not admitted whether accompanied by an adult or not.
  • D - Unsuitable for public viewing.

    Barbados

In Barbados, films are classified by the Film Censorship Board :
  • GA – General Audience; Suitable for all ages.
  • PG – Parental Guidance.
  • PG13 – Parental Guidance 13; suitable for 13 years and older.
  • R – Suitable for 18 years and older.
  • A – Adult Only; No-one under 18 admitted.

    Belgium

On 8 January 2020, Belgium adopted the [|Dutch Kijkwijzer] classification system. Belgium had previously used a basic two-tier system, in place since 1 September 1920. Until January 2020, classifications for films publicly exhibited in Belgium were issued by the Inter-Community Commission for Film Rating. Films were prohibited to minors under the age of 16 unless passed by the commission. There is no mandatory rating system for video formats but 90% of video distribution abides by the voluntary Belgium Video Federation. It was basically the same as the system for theatrical exhibition, but also provided a "12" rating. Under Kijkwijzer, the distributor fills out a questionnaire about the content of the film and an age category is automatically assigned. The new system is fully advisory, and carries no mandatory restrictions. In the French and German-speaking communities, the system is known as Cinecheck.
The age categories are as follows:
  • AL/TOUS: All ages.
  • 6: From 6 years.
  • 9: From 9 years.
  • 12: From 12 years.
  • 14: From 14 years.
  • 16: From 16 years.
  • 18: From 18 years.

    Brazil

All films that are exhibited in public or released on a home video format in Brazil must be submitted for classification to the advisory rating, which is run by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice. Under 10s must always be accompanied by an adult guardian, even for films rated L. Anyone below the film's minimum age can watch it if accompanied or allowed by the parent or guardian who is at least 18 years old, except for those rated 18, which can only be allowed for teenagers aged 16+. Unlike many countries, the ClassInd does not have any legal right to ban, demand cuts or refuse to rate any film.
In 2025, a new rating was introduced, which set at an age threshold of 6-years-old.
The ClassInd uses the following system:
  • L: Livre
  • 6: Não recomendado para menores de seis anos
  • 10: Não recomendado para menores de 10 anos
  • 12: Não recomendado para menores de 12 anos
  • 14: Não recomendado para menores de 14 anos
  • 16: Não recomendado para menores de 16 anos
  • 18: Não recomendado para menores de 18 anos
There are also operational descriptions of attenuating and aggravating elements that can interfere on the final rating.