Certification

The BBFC works with a number of on demand services to provide trusted age ratings for video content available for download and streaming online. Some of these platforms also provide parental controls allowing parents to make available to their children films with an appropriate age rating for them. The BBFC and home entertainment industry recognise that this is helpful to parents when both they and their children are selecting film or TV content to stream or download.

'U' Rating
The U symbol stands for Universal. A U film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. However, it is impossible to predict what might upset a particular child, especially at this lower end of the category range.


PG Rating
PG stands for Parental Guidance. This means a film is suitable for general viewing, but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. A PG film should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. Parents should consider whether the content may upset younger, or more sensitive, children.


'12/12A' Rating
The 12A requires an adult to accompany any child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. This is enforced by cinema staff and a cinema may lose its license if adult accompaniment is not enforced for children under 12 admitted to a 12A film. Accompanied viewing cannot be enforced in the home, so the 12 certificate remains for DVD/Blu-ray, rather than the 12A. The 12 is also a simpler system for retailers. It means they cannot sell or rent the item unless the customer is over the age of 12.


'15' Rating
No-one under 15 is allowed to see a 15 film at the cinema or buy/rent a ‘15 rated video. 15 rated works are not suitable for children under 15 years of age. Any of the following could appear in a 15 rated film:

• Strong violence
• Frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
• Portrayals of sexual activity
• Strong verbal references to sex
• Sexual nudity
• Brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
• Discriminatory language or behaviour
• Drug taking

'18' Rating
Films rated 18 are for adults. No-one under 18 is allowed to see an 18 film at the cinema or buy / rent an 18 rated video. No 18 rated works are suitable for children. Any of the following could appear in an 18 rated film:

• Very strong violence
• Frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***') and / or very strong language (e.g. ‘c***’)
• Strong portrayals of sexual activity
• Scenes of sexual violence
• Strong horror
• Strong blood and gore
• Real sex (in some circumstances)
• Discriminatory language and behaviour