Get a film classification

About film classification 

Films shown to a public audience must have a classification rating.  

If you're a filmmaker or promoter, you need to apply to either:  

• the British Board for Film Classification (BBFC) 
• local councils for the areas where the film will be shown  

The classification ratings are: 

• Universal (U)
• Parental Guidance (PG)
• 12A
• 15
• 18 

When to apply 

To apply for the classification or reclassification of a film to be shown in Royal Greenwich, you must submit your application at least 20 working days before the film will be shown. 

What you need to provide 

To apply, you must submit: 

• a completed application form
• a DVD copy of the film 

Within your application you’ll need to: 

• provide a written synopsis of the film
• identify all the languages spoken so we can give you a quote for the interpretation fee 

You also need to agree to: 

• pay the relevant fees
• us keeping the DVD 

DVD format 

The copy of your film must: 

• play on a DVD player and contain everything you need classified
• be a DVD-R, a DVD+R (single or dual layer) or replicated (factory pressed)
• be region 2 or region-0 (region free) – we accept both Phase Alternating Line (PAL) and National Television System Committee (NTSC) standard
• be encoded at a high enough bit-rate to ensure acceptable picture and sound quality
• contain an on-screen title within the body of the work - If not, a title slate or menu must be placed before the start of the work
• must contain subtitles in non-English sections, either hard or soft coded 

Subtitles 

We recommend that all films are fully subtitled for ease of certification. Subtitles can be removed for screenings. 

If there’s a problem with your application 

If we cannot classify your film because the application form is incomplete, inaccurate or you submitted an unacceptable DVD format, you may need to: 

• make a new application
• pay the fees again 

Licence fees 

You’ll need to pay: 

• an application fee
• a film-viewing fee
• an interpretation fee (if relevant)

Table of licence fees

Apply for a classification 

Download and complete the film classification application form:

Send your application to us at Licensing, Royal Borough of Greenwich, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ.

Foreign Languages 

The interpretation fee depends on: 

• the length of the film
• the languages spoken 

We recommend that you contact us before you apply to obtain a quote for the interpretation fee. Email us at licensing@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. 

After you’ve applied 

When we’ve classified your film, we’ll send you certificate of classification containing details of the assigned rating. 

To inform the public, you must display the screen card and rating before any screenings takes place.  

You can request a copy of the officer’s report. 

If you are not satisfied with your classification rating 

As the certifying authority, we do not recommend edits or changes to reduce/increase age ratings. 

You can request a copy of the officer’s report to identify why a rating has been specified. You can then resubmit your film for a new rating following edits. You will need to make a new application and pay a new set of fees.