18 rating refers to a type of age-based

content rating A content rating (also known as maturity rating) rates the suitability of TV shows, movies, comic books, or video games to this primary targeted audience. A content rating usually places a media source into one of a number of different categories, ...

that applies to media entertainment, such as films, television shows and computer games. The following articles document the rating across a range of countries and mediums:

Ratings

18 (British Board of Film Classification) The 18 certificate is issued by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), to state that in its opinion, a film, video recording, or game is suitable only for persons aged 18 years and over. It recommends that no one below that age shou ...

, a prohibitive rating used to regulate age based admission to films in the United Kingdom *

R18 (British Board of Film Classification) R18 (Restricted 18) is a film or video classification given by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). It is intended to provide a classification for works that are within British obscenity laws, but exceed what the BBFC considers accep ...

, a more restrictive version of the rating used for hardcore pornography in the United Kingdom *

X rating An X rating is a rating used in various countries to classify films that have content deemed suitable only for adults. It is used when the violent or sexual content of a film is considered to be potentially disturbing to general audiences. Aust ...

, a common variant of the UK's 18 and R18 ratings used across many countries

Classification organizations

Australian Classification Board The Australian Classification Board (ACB or CB) is an Australian government statutory body responsible for the classification and censorship of films, video games and publications for exhibition, sale or hire in Australia. The ACB was establis ...

(R18+ and X18+) *

Brazilian advisory rating system The Brazilian Advisory Rating ( pt, Classificação Indicativa, abbreviated ClassInd) is a content rating system for the classification of movies, games and television programs. The ClassInd rating system is controlled by the Advisory Rating Coor ...

(18) *

British Board of Film Classification The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of f ...

(18 and R18) * Canadian motion picture rating system **

Canadian Home Video Rating System The Canadian Home Video Rating System (CHVRS) is a voluntary rating classification system applied to home video products such as VHS and DVDs. It is administered by the Motion Picture Classification Corporation of Canada, a subsidiary of the Mo ...

(18A, R and A – 18 equivalents) **

Manitoba Film Classification Board The Manitoba Film Classification Board (MFCB) was a provincial government organization responsible for rating films and video games rented, sold, or shown in the province of Manitoba. In mid 2018, the Board was dissolved, with its duties being out ...

(18A, R and A) **

Maritime Film Classification Board The Maritime Film Classification Board is a government organization responsible for reviewing films and granting film ratings in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (in some theatres in Newfoundland and Labrador however, it is the Mo ...

(18A, R and A) ** British Columbia Film Classification Office (18A, R and A) **

Saskatchewan Film and Video Classification Board The Saskatchewan Film and Video Classification Board is a board of the Saskatchewan Department of Justice responsible for providing film and video classification documents to movie theatres in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The Board was for ...

(18A, R and A) **

Ontario Film Review Board The Ontario Film Review Board (french: Commission de contrôle cinématographique de l’Ontario) is an inactive agency of the government of the Canadian province of Ontario that was formerly responsible for that province's motion picture rating sy ...

(18A, R and A) **

Régie du cinéma (Quebec) The Régie du cinéma was a provincial film classification organization responsible for the motion picture rating system within the Canadian province of Quebec. Existing in several guises since the start of the 20th century, the organization came ...

(18+) *

Central Board of Film Certification The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films under the provision ...

(A – 18 equivalent) *

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

(18+) *

Computer Entertainment Rating Organization The (CERO) is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo that rates video game content in console games with levels of ratings that informs the customer(s) of the nature of the product and what age group it is suitable for. It ...

(Z – 18 equivalent) *

Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel The (, ''lit.'' ''Superior Audiovisual Council''), abbreviated CSA, was a French institution created in 1989 whose role was to regulate the various electronic media in France, such as radio and television. The creation of the was a measure foun ...

(18) *

Dirección General de Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía The ''Dirección General de Radio, Televisión y Cinematografía'' (General Directorate of Radio, Television and Film), known by its acronym RTC, is an agency of the Mexican Secretariat of the Interior (SEGOB). It rates films and television progra ...

(C and D – 18 equivalents) *

Eirin The , also known as , is Japan's self-regulatory film regulator. Eirin was established on the model of the now-defunct American Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association's Production Code Administration in June 1949, succeeding t ...

(R18+) *

Entertainment Software Rating Board The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that assigns age and content ratings to consumer video games in the United States and Canada. The ESRB was established in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Asso ...

(Adults Only – 18 equivalent) *

Film Censorship Board of Malaysia The Film Censorship Board of Malaysia (Malay: ''Lembaga Penapis Filem'') is a Malaysian government ministry that vets films. It is under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. History and legislative regulations LPF was established on Ma ...

(18) *

Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft The Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle der Filmwirtschaft (FSK, ''Self-Regulatory Body of the Movie Industry'') is a German motion picture rating system organization run by the '' Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirtschaft'' (SPIO, Head Organisation of the M ...

(18) *

Hong Kong motion picture rating system The Hong Kong motion picture rating system () is a legal system of movie screening and rating. An official government agency issues ratings for any movie that will be shown in Hong Kong cinemas. History At the beginning of the film industry i ...

(III – 18 equivalent) *

Irish Film Classification Office The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) ( ga, Oifig Aicmithe Scannán na hÉireann, OASÉ) is the organisation responsible for films, television programmes, and some video game classification and censorship within Republic of Ireland, Irel ...

(18) *

Korea Media Rating Board The Korea Media Rating Board (; KMRB) is a public organization that classifies films, videos, and other motion pictures into age-based ratings and recommends domestic performances of foreign artists. Through these rating systems, the Korea Media ...

(R – 18 equivalent) *

Media Development Authority The Media Development Authority (abbreviation: MDA) was a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). History MDA was formed on 1 January 2003 by the merger of Singapore Broadcasting ...

(M18) *

Motion Picture Association of America film rating system The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures ...

(NC17 – 18 equivalent) *

Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (English: "For Intelligent and Responsible Viewing") , employees = More than 33 , chief1_name = Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio , chief1_position = Chairperson , agency_type = Film and television classification , parent_agency ...

(R-18) *

National Audiovisual Institute (Finland) National Audiovisual Institute ( fi, Kansallinen audiovisuaalinen instituutti; sv, Nationella audiovisuella institutet or ') is a governmental bureau under the Finnish Ministry of Education responsible for supervising the distribution of audiovisu ...

(18) *

National Bureau of Classification (NBC) National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

(18+ and 18+R) * National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (18) *

Norwegian Media Authority The Norwegian Media Authority ( no, Medietilsynet) is a Norwegian government agency subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Equality charged with various tasks relating to broadcasting, newspapers and films. It enforces rules on content, adve ...

(18) *

Office of Film and Literature Classification (New Zealand) The Office of Film and Literature Classification ( mi, Te Mana Whakaatu), branded as the Classification Office, is an independent Crown entity established under Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 responsible for censorship ...

(R18 and RP18) *

Pan European Game Information PEGI () or Pan-European Game Information is a European video game content rating system established to help European consumers make informed decisions when buying video games or apps through the use of age recommendations and content descripto ...

(18) *

Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (''Entertainment Software Self-Regulation'', abbreviated USK) is the organisation responsible for video game ratings in Germany. In Austria, it is mandatory in the state of Salzburg, while PEGI is mandator ...

(18)

Systems

Motion picture content rating system A motion picture content rating system classifies films based on their suitability for audiences due to their treatment of issues such as sex, violence, or substance abuse; their use of profanity; or other matters typically deemed unsuitable for c ...

, a range of classification systems for films that commonly use the age 18 as part of its regulatory criteria *

Television content rating system Television content rating systems are systems for Content rating, evaluating the content and reporting the suitability of television programs for Minor (law), minors. Many countries have their own television evaluation, rating system and countrie ...

, a range of classification systems for television broadcasts that commonly use the age 18 as part of its regulatory criteria *

Video game content rating system A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of video games based on suitability for target audiences. Most of these systems are associated with and/or sponsored by a government, and are sometimes part of the local ...

, a range of classification systems for video games that commonly use the age 18 as part of its regulatory criteria *

Mobile software content rating system A mobile software content rating system is a rating system which is tailored to users of mobile software. Comparison table A comparison of current mobile software rating systems, showing age on the horizontal axis. Note however that the specific ...

, a range of classification systems for mobile software that commonly use the age 18 as part of its regulatory criteria

Ratings

Classification organizations

Systems

See also