- Guide3 of 5
- The lawClassification Act 1995, ss 6B to 6D and 14
- Checked9 October 2026
Getting a film classified: the application, the exemptions and festivals
Unless it is an exempt film, a film is classified by the Classification Board on an application under s 14 of the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, made in writing with a copy of the film, the prescribed fee and a synopsis; the Act also lets an approved classification tool (s 22CF) or an accredited person (s 22K) classify some films. A festival screening is not exempt just because it is a festival: an unclassified film can rely on the conditional cultural exemption, which applies one showing at a time and only when that showing meets its conditions.
General information only, not legal advice. The Commonwealth Act and the NSW Enforcement Act, linked at the foot of this page, are the official texts.
The application
Section 14(1) says an application to classify a film must be:
- in writing;
- in a form the Director (the Director of the Classification Board) has approved in writing;
- signed by or for the applicant; and
- accompanied by a copy of the film, “the prescribed fee for that category of film”, and an adequate written synopsis in English that states or summarises any incidents, or the plot, depicted or intended to be depicted.
A copy of any proposed advertisement for the film may go in with it. Section 14 names a prescribed fee rather than stating an amount. For a producer offset film, the cost of Australian classification certificates incurred in delivering or distributing it, before the end of the income year it is completed, is among the expenditure that can count; see the producer offset.
Films that need no application
Section 6B lists sixteen kinds of exempt film, and “Applications for classification of exempt films are not necessary.” All sixteen, in brief:
| Item | Type | A film that is |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | Promotional, technical or similar, for use in a business or trade |
| 2 | Accounting | For keeping or verifying accounts |
| 3 | Professional | Promotional, technical or similar, for use in a profession |
| 4 | Scientific | For use in a branch of knowledge conducted on objective principles, with systematic observation of and experiment with phenomena |
| 5 | Educational | Mainly for training, instruction or reference, as a manual, lesson, encyclopaedia or guide |
| 6 | Current affairs | Wholly or mainly news reports, or information on, or analysis of, current issues or events that are of public interest or importance |
| 7 | Hobbyist | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of a hobby or activity |
| 8 | Sporting | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of a sporting event |
| 9 | Family | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of a family event or activity |
| 10 | Live performance | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of a live artistic performance, or used within one |
| 11 | Musical presentation | Wholly or mainly a musical presentation |
| 12 | Religious | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of religious events or activities |
| 13 | Community or cultural | Wholly or mainly a documentary record of community or cultural activities or events |
| 14 | Social sciences | Wholly or mainly information about, or analysis of, social science subjects |
| 15 | Natural history | A natural history film, or wholly or mainly natural scenery |
| 16 | Language other than English | Wholly in a language other than English (minor English and subtitles aside), imported only for a public or tertiary library collection, in a physical format, no more than 500 copies imported, and likely to be G or PG |
None of these is exempt if it contains material likely to make it M or higher; an advertisement that has been refused approval; an advertisement for a film or game classified M or higher; or an advertisement for an unclassified film or game assessed as likely to be M or higher, or whose likely classification has not been assessed (s 6B(3)).
Festivals: the conditional cultural exemption
An event is a registered event under s 6D when it wholly or mainly involves or relates to screening films (or showing games or publications) of a “medical, scientific, educational, cultural or artistic character”, its organiser has completed the registration process and paid any fee the conditional cultural exemption rules prescribe, and any conditions in those rules are met.
Under s 6C, a film shown at a registered event is exempt “only in relation to the relevant showing”, and only if:
- it would not likely be classified RC, X 18+ or Category 2 restricted;
- if likely M or MA 15+, no one under 15 is present unless accompanied by an adult;
- if likely R 18+ or Category 1 restricted, only people 18 and over are present;
- it has not already been shown more times than the rules allow;
- the audience is given the information the rules prescribe, in their manner and form; and
- any conditions in the rules are met.
Approved cultural institutions have a similar exemption (ss 6E and 6F), and the Director may, on the organisation’s application, exempt a film, event or organisation from the Division or modify how it applies (s 6H).
What enforcement looks like: NSW
In NSW, the Enforcement Act enforces the classification scheme for the state. Its s 6 says “A person must not sell or publicly exhibit” a film classified RC or X 18+, or “an unclassified film”. The maximum penalty depends on the classification the film later receives:
| The film | Individual | Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Unclassified, later G | 1 unit | 5 units |
| Unclassified, later PG | 5 units | 10 units |
| Unclassified, later M | 10 units | 20 units |
| Unclassified, later MA 15+ or R 18+ | 50 units | 100 units |
| Classified RC or X 18+, or unclassified and later RC or X 18+ | 100 units or 12 months’ imprisonment | 250 units |
The Act does not apply to exempt films, to broadcasting services under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, or to material under a conditional cultural exemption (s 4A). Among its other rules, a film classified R 18+ must not be publicly exhibited while a minor is present for any part of it.