Classification

The Categories

The BBFC endeavours to classify submitted works in one of the following categories:

U - Suitable for all  ages.
PG -  Some scenes unsuitable for young children.
12 - Not to be supplied to any person below the age of twelve.
12A - Advised that no person under the age of 12 should watch this.
15 - Not to be supplied to any person below the age of fifteen.
18 - Not to be supplied to any person below the age of eighteen
R18: To be supplied only in licensed sex shops to persons of eighteen years or over.

The following pages set out guidance on how the main issues (for example, sex and violence) are specifically applied from ‘U’ through to ‘R18’. The criteria should be read in the light of the general approach set out earlier under ‘General Principles’, ‘Overarching Factors’ and ‘Main Issues’.

Because works from time to time present issues in ways which cannot be anticipated, these criteria will not be applied in an over-literal way if such an interpretation would lead to an outcome which would confound audience expectations.