All feature films, short films and trailers which are shown theatrically must be classified by the BBFC, unless permission has been granted by the local authority in the area that the work is being shown. For customers requiring a theatrical work to be classified, please read through each of the following stages to familiarise yourself with the process.

Submission formats

Films and trailers requiring classification must be submitted on the media that they are going to be released i.e. a work being released only on 35mm must be submitted on 35mm. Films and trailers being released both digitally and on 35mm in the same version and the same aspect ratio can be submitted in either format.

The version submitted to the BBFC for examination must be the exact, finished version intended for release. (For works in progress and incomplete works, please see the Advice Viewings section.)

The media items we receive must contain only and exactly the feature film, short film or trailer to be examined. If a media item submitted for a theatrical certificate contains any other material, such as a trailer before the start or in the middle of a film, we will put the work on hold and require you to submit replacement media items. This will incur a second handling charge and a further viewing charge.

Please note that 3D film releases must be submitted and classified in 3D. Any work being released in both 2D and 3D will require separate submissions due to the different formats having the potential to raise differing classification issues.

IMAX film releases must be classified at an IMAX screen. The submission must be booked in with Information Services in the usual way. Any work being released in IMAX and any other theatrical format(s) will require separate submissions due to the different formats having the potential to raise differing classification issues.

If you have any questions about submission formats, please contact the Projection department on 020 7440 1570 or� projection@bbfc.co.uk.

Booking in the submission

Please contact Information Services via the helpline (020 7440 0299) to agree a viewing date. We aim to arrange a viewing date for within three working days of the print/media item being available. If our theatre is full up for three working days from your preferred date, we will be happy for you to arrange an outside screening room for which we will pay the booking charge. If we can accommodate your film within three working days of your preferred date but you wish for us to see it before then, you are still welcome to arrange an outside screening room but you will have to pay for the booking.

If you cancel your booking with less then one working day before the arranged viewing date, a cancellation fee may be charged.

Filling in the submission form

Each theatrical booking requires a completed film submission form. This must be sent to us either with the print/media item or, ideally, as early as possible. You can fax the form to 020 7440 0291 or email to helpline@bbfc.co.uk.

Please ensure that the account number is correctly entered on the submission form. If a company has more than one division, the correct division name and account number must be entered on the form. For new customers, we will create an account number with the first submission.

Please make clear at the booking stage the language(s) used in the work. The BBFC may need to arrange interpreters for some languages. A work in a language other than English need only include English subtitles if they will be present in the work when released.

It is essential that the submission form is filled out with as much correct information as possible. Incomplete information can delay processing of the film.

Delivery times

Films and trailers submitted on 35mm must arrive, along with payment and a completed submission form by 5pm on the working day before examination (unless other arrangements have been agreed with the Board at least two working days in advance).

Films and trailers submitted digitally must arrive, along with payment and a completed submission form by 12pm on the working day before examination. Any KDMs and/or usernames for trailer links must be emailed to� projection@bbfc.co.uk.

We require the media item(s), any KDM, the payment and the submission form to be delivered by the time stated. It is your responsibility to check with us that all materials have arrived on time; the BBFC will not contact you to remind you to deliver your materials to us by the deadline. If you fail to meet the delivery deadline for either the media item(s), the payment or the submission form, your submission will lose its place in the schedule, which can result in a cancellation fee.

All media items submitted for theatrical certificates must be addressed to:

Projection
British Board of Film Classification
3 Soho Square
London
W1D 3HD

Notes for the delivery of film prints

All reels should be delivered together, with each reel in a suitable container. The title and reel number should appear on each reel as well as on the container in which the reel is delivered.

All reel submissions should be 35mm combined optical prints, with sound types Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby SR analogue, Dolby “A” type and Mono.

All reels should have head and tail protection leaders with the title and the reel number on and they should be securely attached to the main body of the reel. All reels should have a plastic core in the centre.

Each reel is measured, usually from the first identifiable frame to the last. The number of reels supplied is checked along with the technical quality of the film. If any significant damage is found before viewing, the customer will be notified and the viewing may need to be postponed.

Payment

A work will not be viewed until payment has been received. New customers requiring classification for theatrical release are required to have funds in place with the BBFC before booking their work in. To find out how much your work will cost please see our fees section or contact the Accounts department on 020 7440 0370/1 or email� accounts@bbfc.co.uk.

Examination

The examiners apply the current BBFC Guidelines to propose the appropriate category for the work. The� BBFC Guidelines are published on the website and available on request.

Examiners compile reports on the viewing for senior staff to approve. The final check of the title as shown onscreen is made against the title as submitted. If these are different the work will not be finally classified until this is resolved.

Examiners may propose that the work requires cuts. These may be either compulsory to meet statutory or guidelines obligations or voluntary to obtain a lower category.

Requesting a category

The classification decision is reached following the BBFC Guidelines and policy, but specific category requests can be made on the submission form. If you do not receive your preferred category, you are welcome to contact one of the approvers via the customer helpline on 020 7440 0299, who will be happy to explain our decision and any other options available to you.

For information on how to appeal a category decision, please see the� Appeals procedure

If cuts are required

Most works are passed without any cuts and with little difficulty regarding the category. However, if the work does require cuts you will be informed by letter. The letter gives a summary of the cuts and then gives a detailed description of each cut that is required. See below for an example.

A summary of the cuts will appear on the BBFC website once the work is classified.

Approval

The formal authority for approval of works is the President of the BBFC. This authority is delegated to the senior staff of the BBFC – the Director (or, in his absence, the Head of Policy and Business Development) and the Senior Examiners (“approvers”).

All category proposals and recommendations for cuts are considered by an approver.

Classification and Black Cards

Every classified feature film and short film receives a Film Certificate. Feature films and short films are also issued with a Black Card which includes the title, the BBFC register number and the appropriate category symbol. ‘U’, ‘PG’ and ‘12A’ films additionally receive a second ‘black card’ explaining the meaning of the category. Black Cards are issued in an electronic format and emailed to the primary contact.

Local Licensing Conditions advise that the Black Card must appear at the front of the film for five seconds and in such a way that it can be seen on screen by any member of the audience. The second ‘black card’, where applicable, should appear immediately after the Black Card and remain on screen for at least eight seconds.

Trailers do not receive black cards. The appropriate category must be displayed on screen for five seconds at the start.

Consumer Advice

The BBFC views the provision of Consumer Advice for films as very important. Our public opinion polling shows that the public wants Consumer Advice to help decide which films to see with children in particular. The BBFC reached an agreement with the Film Distributors Association that the Consumer Advice which the BBFC provides for each film should be included in all publicity material, including posters, newspaper, radio and television advertising. The Consumer Advice is provided with the category decision.

Return of prints/media items

After the classification process has taken place, the print/media items should be collected. Customers are advised to contact the Projection department on 020 7440 1570 or projection@bbfc.co.uk to check that the items are ready for collection. All collections must be signed for. The BBFC does not return prints or media items by post or any other means.

If you wish to retrieve media which has been submitted for advice, please contact� archive@bbfc.co.uk with advance notice of collection so that we can prepare the media item(s) for you. Please also note that providing us with the specific title/version details when requesting the item(s) for return will enable us to retrieve your media more swiftly.

Uncollected prints/media items

Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the customer if any print or media item remains at the BBFC’s premises after a period of 90 days from the date of viewing. If the item has still not been collected after a further 90 days, the BBFC will dispose of the material.

Piracy

The BBFC is extremely concerned about this issue and has been accredited by FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft). When prints and media items are collected from the BBFC, we ensure the collector signs our release form. This will include date and time of collection. If we have any doubts about the authority to collect, we will investigate by asking the person present and/or the distributor’s office. If we are not satisfied then we will refuse to release the items until we are satisfied of the individual’s authority to collect them. Our exits are monitored by CCTV to assist us with tracking the removal of prints and media items from our premises.