A restricted rating, as opposed to an advisory or unrestricted rating, is one that legally restricts its audience to a particular group of people, usually to prevent underage children from seeing large amounts of violence, strong language, or sexual content/nudity.
Restricted ratings are strictly enforceable in most (if not all) jurisdictions, which makes it an offense to allow underage audiences in the exhibition (if applicable) without accompaniment. For video releases with restricted ratings, it makes it an offense to supply the age-restricted material to anyone below the age stated in the rating given by the video (sometimes with or without an adult).
Partially restricted[]
A partially restricted rating prevents anyone underage from viewing the content in the cinema unless when accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the film. In the MPA rating system, R is a partially restricted rating. This means persons younger than 17 years must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian who is 21 years and over. The MA15+ rating in Australia has a similar meaning, but instead of 17 the age is 15. The BBFC's and IFCO's equivalent to the MPA's PG-13 (12A) have a similar meaning but instead of 17 or 15 the age is 12.
Fully restricted[]
A fully restricted rating prevents anyone underage from viewing the content regardless of accompaniment. In the MPA rating system, NC-17 is a fully restricted rating, and nobody under 18 may see a picture with this rating, even if accompanied by an adult. The BBFC 15 and 18 and IFCO 16 and 18 are also fully restricted. The FPB 13, 16, and 18 are also fully restricted.
These ratings may be restricted to make sure that underage children aren't exposed to simulated sex or graphic violence, as well as coarse or sexually explicit language, drug misuse and real-money gambling. Some are often enforced using ID in retail stores, though they are still commonly sold online without age restrictions.
However, it is very rare for a restricted rating to prohibit minors from accessing content with the rating at all (even if supplied to an adult and viewed in private).
Brazil, Belgium, Denmark (motion pictures only), and Sweden's rating systems have no fully restricted ratings at all.
Hybrid[]
Underage audiences are not admitted at all, and persons between the two stipulated ages must be accompanied by an adult. The MPA does not have a rating like this. For example, Taiwan's 6+ rating allows only those aged 6 and over to be admitted, and those aged 6 to 11 must be accompanied by an adult. In some Canadian provinces the 18A rating mandate to be at least 14 years old to see films with this rating and under-18s must be accompanied by an adult.
It can be considered a mixed restricted rating.
Adult ratings[]
Works which receive adult ratings can only be shown in licensed premises such as sex shops and/or sex cinemas. For example, the BBFC's R18 classification.
Special restrictions may also apply for these ratings. For example, Australia's X 18+ classification, in which the sale or hire of all X 18+ classified material is prohibited anywhere in the six States, making it available legally for sale or hire only in the Australian Capital Territory and the North Territory.
One unusual case of non-pornographic material receiving such rating is Saw VI by the ICAA in Spain because of extreme violence, which resulted in the release of the film in the country being delayed for nearly one year. Another example is Interspecies Reviewers, which was released by a porn distributor in the US, while the content does border on pornography it never cross the line and was in fact rated 16 in Germany (with the exception of the 3rd episode being rated 18.)
Adult ratings are used primarily for pornographic works.
It can be considered an extra/plus fully restricted rating.
Not to be sold (or shown anywhere)[]
These kinds of ratings are the most restrictive ones which ban commercial releases or directly illegalize a work.
FPB's XX and Prohibited categories are a curious case—the former for legal material that is extreme in impact which cannot be commercially distributed but can be possessed, and the latter for material that is illegal to possess. The ACB's RC bans import and sell in Australia but depending on the work itself personal possession may be permitted or not. In the case of OFLC's Objectionable it is always illegal to have such type of material. Note that almost all mentioned here aren't technically ratings and instead are rejected classification decisions (except for XX).
Primarily used for CP, incitement to violence or war against a person or group, violation of hate speech laws, and instructional details on preparation and/or selling of illegal drugs.
It can also be considered a commercially-banned or banned/illegal/prohibited restricted rating depending on the mentioned previously.
Table of restricted ratings from various boards[]
| Board | Partially restricted | Hybrid | Fully restricted | Adult | Not to be sold (or shown anywhere) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPA | R (17) | none | NC-17 (18) | none | none |
| ESRB | M (17) (USA) | none | M (17) (Canada) AO (18) |
none | none |
| BBFC (UK) | 12A (Cinema only) | none | 12 (Video only), 15, 18 | R18 | Rejected |
| IFCO (Ireland) | 12A, 15A | none | 16, 18 | none | none |
| ACB (Australia) | MA 15+ | none | R 18+ (In Queensland, under 2s can be admitted) | X 18+ (Can only be sold or shown in Australian Capital Territory and North Territory) | RC (means "Refused Classification") |
| ClassInd (Brazil) | 10, 12, 14, 16 | 18 (16 and 17s are admitted) | none | none | none |
| FSK (Germany) | none | 12 (6-11s must be accompanied by an adult) | 6, 16, 18, Unrated (18+) | 18 (some titles released under adult labels in the US have received 18 ratings in Germany) | none |
| IARC (France) | 12, 16, 18 (These games cannot be purchased by children under 7 years of age) | none | none | none | none |
| RCQ (Régie; Quebec) | 13+ | none | 16+, 18+ | 18+ (Explicit sexuality) | Refused classification |
| Kijkwijzer (Netherlands/NICAM) | 6, 9, 12, 14 | none | 16, 18 | none | none |
| Canada (outside Quebec) | 14A, 18A (Outside Maritimes and Manitoba) | 18A (In Maritimes and Manitoba, under 14s are not admitted at all) | R (18) | A (18) | Prohibited |
| Eirin (Japan)[note 1] | none | none | R15+, R18+, R20+[note 2] | none | none |
| CERO (Japan) | none | none | Z (18) | none | none |
| RTC (Mexico) | none | none | C (18)[note 3] | D (18) | none |
| BAMID (Taiwan) | none | 6+ (under 6s not admitted, parental guide required for 6-11s) | 6+ (Video games), 12+, 15+, 18+ | none | none |
| KMRB (South Korea) | 12, 15 | none | 19 | R/RS (19) | none |
| OFNAA (Hong Kong) | none | none | III (18) | none | none |
| MTRCB (Philippines) | PG | none | R-13, R-16, R-18 | none | X |
| MDA (Singapore) | none | none | NC16, M18, R21 | none | Refused classification (formerly known as NAR) |
| NFB (Thailand) | none | none | 20 | none | Banned |
| FPB (South Africa) | none | 7-9 PG, 10-12 PG (under the lower age limits not admitted at all) |
13, 16, 18 | X18 | XX, Prohibited |
| SMC (Sweden) | 7 | 11 (7-10s must be accompanied by an adult), 15 (11-14s must be accompanied by an adult) | none | none | none |
| OFLC (New Zealand) | RP13, RP16, RP18 | none | R13, R15, R16, R18 | none | Objectionable |
| ICAA (Spain) | none | none | none | X (18) | none |
| NMIAH (Hungary) | none | none | none | X (18) | none |
| NMC (United Arab Emirates) | PG-13, PG-15 | none | 15+, 18+, 21+ | none | none |
| Kijkwijzer (Iceland/FRISK) | none | 16, 18 (age limit even when accompanied is 14+) | none | none | none |
| NFC (Bulgaria) | C (12), C+ (14), D+ (16) | none | D (16) | X (18) | none |
| CBFC (India) | UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+ | none | A (18) | none | none |
| MCST (Vietnam) | K (13) | none | T-13, T-16, T-18 | none | C |
Trivia[]
- All these types of restrictions can be found outside age rating classification in other kinds of activities in various countries (e.g. being tattooed, voting, alcohol/tobacco consumption, driving, prostitution, selling of illegal drugs, etc.).
- Adult and Not to be sold (or shown anywhere) ratings also restrict distribution of a work in addition to age-based ones.
- All of these categories have an associated colour:
- Red or orange for partially restricted
- Maroon or simultaneously red and black for hybrid
- Black for all the rest of restrictions
- Sometimes red for fully restricted
- Sometimes purple for adult rating
- Sometimes red prohibition circle over white background for Not to be sold (or shown anywhere).
- Although X is associated with pornography thus also to a lesser but still important extent with adult rating, the first age rating certificates with such symbol were fully restricted type.
- Apart from this types there are also another one that restricts based additionally on specified class of or concrete persons e.g. Indian S , New Zealand specific restrictions.
See also[]
- Unrestricted rating - The opposite of a restricted rating.
Gallery[]
.svg "IFCO 16 (Cinema).svg (2 KB)")
.svg "IFCO 18 (Cinema).svg (2 KB)")
.svg "KMRB 12 (2021).svg (1 KB)")
.svg "KMRB 15 (2021).svg (1 KB)")
.svg "KMRB 19 (2024).svg (858 bytes)")
.svg "KMRB RS (2021).svg (11 KB)")
.svg "Australian Classification Mature 15+ (MA 15+).svg (10 KB)")
.svg "Australian Classification Restricted 18+ (R 18+).svg (10 KB)")
.svg "Australian Classification Restricted 18+ (X 18+).svg (10 KB)")
