What do the movie classification ratings mean?

Modified on Thu, 17 Oct at 12:07 PM

Films must be classified by the Australian Classification Board before they can be publicly exhibited in Australia. Tickets cannot be purchased (and any persons on whose behalf you purchase tickets) for any films you are not are not legally entitled to see.

The ratings on films are determined by the Australian Classification Board. These ratings are out of our control but if you’d like to lodge some feedback with them, you are welcome to contact them directly. For more information, feel free to visit their website: http://www.classification.gov.au/Guidelines/Pages/Guidelines.aspx

The Company reserves the right to insist that you provide suitable identification depending on a film’s classification.

Entry to an MA15+ film will be refused to any person who appears to be under 15 who is not accompanied by their parent or guardian and cannot provide proof of age.
Entry to R18+ film is prohibited to any person under the age of 18, even if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. The film ratings are:

	CTC: Check the Classification	The content has been assessed and approved for advertising unclassified films. Any advertising of unclassified films must display the CTC message on posters, trailers, on the internet, and any other types of advertising. Once the content is classified, the classification marking should replace the CTC marking on all advertising material.
	G: General	The content is very mild in impact. The G classification is suitable for everyone. G products may contain classifiable elements such as language and themes that are very mild in impact. However, some G-classified films may contain content that is not of interest to children.
	PG: Parental Guidance	The content is mild in impact. The impact of PG (Parental Guidance) classified films should be no higher than mild, but they may contain content that children find confusing or upsetting and may require the guidance of parents and guardians. They may, for example, contain classifiable elements such as language and themes that are mild in impact. It is not recommended for viewing by persons under 15 without guidance from parents or guardians.
	M: Mature	The content is moderate in impact. Films classified M (Mature) contain content of a moderate impact and are recommended for teenagers aged 15 years and over. Children under 15 may legally access this material because it is an advisory category. However, M classified films may include classifiable elements such as violence and nudity of moderate impact that are not recommended for children under 15 years. Parents and guardians may need to find out more about the film's specific content, before deciding whether the material is suitable for their child.
	MA 15+: Mature Accompanied	The content is strong in impact. MA 15+ classified material contains strong content and is legally restricted to persons 15 years and over. It may contain classifiable elements such as sex scenes and drug use that are strong in impact. A person may be asked to show proof of their age before hiring or purchasing an MA 15+ film. Cinema staff may also request that the person show proof of their age before allowing them to watch an MA 15+ film. Children under the age of 15 may not legally watch, buy or hire MA 15+ classified material unless they are in the company of a parent or adult guardian. Children under 15 who go to the cinema to see an MA 15+ film must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian for the duration of the film. The parent or adult guardian must also purchase the movie ticket for the child. The “guardian” must be an adult exercising “parental control” over the person under 15 years of age. A friend or older sibling does not satisfy this requirement. The guardian needs to be 18 years or older.
	R 18+: Restricted	The content is high in impact R 18+ material is restricted to adults. Such material may contain classifiable elements such as sex scenes and drug use that are high in impact. Some material classified R18+ may be offensive to sections of the adult community. A person may be asked for proof of their age before purchasing, hiring or viewing R18+ films and computer games at a retail store or cinema.