Industry ServicesFee Tariffs

Additional Service Details

2024 Fee Tariffs

Please get in touch with our Finance Team with any questions.  

All costs exclude VAT.

Standard fees

Type of content Fees
Cinema (Theatrical) Features

Polled locations at the widest point of release (number of venues)*:

0-30: £610
31-60: £1,275
61+: £2,625
Cinema (Theatrical) Trailers, Public Information/Campaigning Films, and Advertisements £172
Packaged Media** (DVD/Blu-ray)
- (includes VoD rating)		 Per-minute fee: £9.17
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee £91.70)
VoD
(Digital-only ratings)		 Per-minute fee: £4.46
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £44.60)

* Polled locations are the number of cinema/theatrical venues that the film is released into in the UK at the widest point of release. All data will be verified using Comscore, Inc. Further information can be found here.

** For Packaged Media submissions we charge a 5% transcode uplift fee on the price of your submission(s) if you deliver on physical disc (DVD or Blu-ray).

Please note our charity rate (50%) is available only to charities registered in the UK for Cinema (Theatrical) and Packaged Media. The BBFC has final say on whether the charity rate is applicable regardless of charitable status.

Cinema (Theatrical) Fees

We offer three price bands:

  • Standard (Three days) 

  • Express (24 hours) 

  • Next Day (24 hours, short notice)

These price bands are based on the amount of time between the delivery of your media and the requested classification date. Express and Next Day price bands are based on a set uplift in the cost. 

Please note, we round up the running time of Express and Next Day submissions to the nearest 15 minutes.  For content under five minutes we round up to five minutes.

Cinema Features and Event Cinema more than 240 minutes duration are subject to additional fees.

Features

Turnaround time Fees
Standard Polled locations at the widest point of release (number of venues)*:
0-30: £610
31-60: £1,275
61+: £2,625
Express 48 hours
(20% uplift on standard fee)		 Polled locations at the widest point of release (number of venues)*:
0-30: £732
31-60: £1,530
61+: £3,150
Next Day 24 hours
(50% uplift on standard fee)		 Polled locations at the widest point of release (number of venues)*:
0-30: £915
31-60: £1,912.50
61+: £3,937.50

Please Note: Tier selection will be verified using data and analytics provided by Comscore, Inc. For more information on how to submit to Comscore, please click here.

Trailers

Standard £172
Express 48 hours
(20% uplift on standard fee)		 £206.40
Next Day 24 hours
(50% uplift on standard fee)		 £258

Withdrawal Fees (Cancellations)

The full invoice amount is payable if a submission is cancelled within 2 working days of the requested classification date (RCD). 

Other Cinema Fees

Type of content Fees
Content-identical 2D version of classified 3D 50% of the standard fee
Feature DCP/file containing both 3D and 2D versions for classification 3D version: fee for standard theatrical content
2D version: plus an additional £172
Trailer DCP/file containing both 3D and 2D versions for classification 3D version: fee for standard theatrical content
2D version: plus an additional £58
As Live £172
IMAX and ScreenX following a primary version being rated first £610
(If the film is ONLY being released in IMAX or ScreenX it will be charged under the standard tariff based on polled locations at the widest point of release (number of venues)
Short film (up to 40 mins) £401
Cinema Bonus Material (up to 40 mins) £401
Preview / Promotional screenings* £172 processing fee to exclude film from widest-point-of-release count
Event Cinema set fee for releases of 3 days** or fewer £610
Charity rate*** - Cinema 50% of standard fee

* Please let us know where your preview/promotional screening locations would change the tier your release falls into. We will charge £172 for us to verify the release data to ensure we don’t overcharge you.

** The Event Cinema tariff is for releases other than traditional cinema films, such as stage or music events, that are not covered by a BBFC 'As Live' certificate and which are only being released for a maximum of 3 days within the 6-month Comscore reporting period. The 3 days do not have to be consecutive. If Event Cinema screenings go beyond 3 days in that period, we will charge the fee appropriate to the polled location count.

*** Our charity rate is available only to charities registered in the UK. The BBFC has final say on whether the charity rate is applicable regardless of charitable status.

Modern Film Classification for films classified previously

Type of content Fees
Prior to 1 Nov 1982 75% of standard fee
From 1 Nov 1982 to 31 July 1989 75% of standard fee
From 1 Aug 1989 onwards Where a viewing is needed 50% of standard fee
Charged at full standard rate if the film contains previous cuts or additional material
Where a film is confirmed as identical and does not need a viewing £172

Packaged Media Fees

Turnaround time Fees
Standard Per-minute fee: £9.17
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £91.70)
Express 48 hours (10% uplift on standard fee, rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes) Per-minute fee: £10.09
(Content less than 15 minutes set fee: £151.09)
(Content less than 5 minutes set fee: £100.90)
Next Day 24 hours (50% uplift on standard fee, rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes) Per-minute fee: £13.76
(Content less than 15 minutes set fee: £206.33)
(Content less than 5 minutes set fee: £137.60)
Bonus material 75% of fee (25% discount)
Dual Rating 50% of fee (50% discount)
Trailers Standard: £91.70
Express: £100.87
Next Day: £137.55

Where a customer submits a disc, we will transcode the disc to file to enable us to process it. To cover the cost of doing this, we will charge a 5% uplift on the price of your submission(s).

Packaged Media Withdrawal Fees (Cancellations)

The full invoice amount is payable if a submission is cancelled within three working days of the Requested Classification Date (RCD).

Other Packaged Media Fees

Type of content Fees
Video - identical content of theatrical feature 75% of fee (25% discount)
Packaging £34.35
Reissue Age Rating £315
Video submissions previously rated under VoD Standard Video fee minus the original Video-on-Demand fee
Transcode fee If a customer submits a disc, we will transcode the disc to file to enable us to process it. To cover the cost of doing this, we will charge a 5% uplift on the price of your submission(s).
Composite Video submissions that include elements previously rated under W & R* Standard Video fee minus one VoD (Watch & Rate) client order fee (for VoD content classified before 1 February 2022) and the combined per minute fees**
Preschool content 70% of standard fee (30% discount)
Charity rate - Packaged Media 50% of fee

* Where the content is identical and is in the BBFC archive.

** Any original PBE fees under the previous tariff are not discounted.

Our charity rate is available only to charities registered in the UK. The BBFC has final say on whether the charity rate is applicable regardless of charitable status

Video on Demand Fees

BBFC age ratings for use on all forms of VoD and streaming services. Customers should note that all BBFC packaged media ratings are extended for use on VoD and streaming services.

Type of content Fees
Standard Per-minute fee: £4.46
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £44.60)
Express (10% uplift on standard fee, rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes) Per-minute fee: £4.91
(Content less than 15 minutes set fee: £73.59)
(Content less than 5 minutes set fee: £49.10)
Next Day (50% uplift on standard fee, rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes) Per-minute fee: £6.69
(Content less than 15 minutes set fee: £100.35)
(Content less than 5 minutes set fee: £66.90)
Trailers Standard: £44.60
Express: £49.06
Next Day: £66.90

Withdrawal Fees (Cancellations)

The full invoice amount is payable if a submission is cancelled within three days of the RCD.

Other Video-on-Demand Fees

Type of content Fees
Charity rate Please note we do not offer a charity discount for Video-on-Demand content.
Reissue Age Rating £315
Dual Rating 50% of fee (50% discount)
BBFC Digital Video Service Licence - Annual Fee Up to 100 titles: Free
101 to 250 titles: £739.52
251 to 1000 titles: £1,479.04
1001 to 5000 titles: £2,958.07
More than 5000 titles: £5,916.01

NOTE: Titles refers to the number of BBFC rated features, or individual seasons of a TV show, you expect to carry over a calendar year.

All fees are subject to VAT if applicable

Other Fees

Type of content Fees
Video games (at Standard tariff) Per-minute fee: £9.17
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £91.70)
Music Video £40 for first 5 minutes, £4.46 per minute thereafter

Classification of linear content including TV material created for video games; video rewards for completing certain tasks or levels within a game; or other video content which does not contribute to the narrative drive of the video game will be submitted by the VSC on behalf of games publishers.

Advice Services

Type of content Fees
Cinema (theatrical) Feature £916
Cinema (theatrical) Trailer £172
Packaged Media Per-minute fee: £6.88
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £68.80)
VoD Per-minute fee: £6.88
(Content less than 10 minutes set fee: £68.80)
Script Advice Per page: £11.45
(Minimum fee: £172)

Additional uplifts are charged for advice based on requested tariff (Standard, Express, Next Day). Please note the charity discount cannot be applied to advice services.

Withdrawal fees

The BBFC operates its resources as efficiently as possible. Late cancellations of viewing slots disrupt our schedules and may lead to other customers missing the opportunity to get their content viewed.  

AllAnchor Cinema (theatrical) content

The full invoice amount is payable if a submission is withdrawn within 2 working days of the requested classification date (RCD). 

Please note we will not progress any new theatrical submissions until we receive payment of the withdrawal fee.

All Video and VoD submissions 

The full invoice amount is payable if a submission is withdrawn within 3 working days of the requested classification date (RCD).

Please note we will not progress any new submissions until we receive payment of the withdrawal fee.

Content that is longer than the booked slot

This relates to all submissions.

Cinema (theatrical)

If our measurement of your content is longer than the running time stated on your submission form, we require payment of the difference before we inform you of the outcome of the viewing.

If we learn that the running time exceeds the booked slot by 12pm two working days before the viewing date, and we are unable to accommodate the viewing in our theatre, we will reschedule the viewing for another date.

If we learn that the running time exceeds the booked slot later than 12pm two working days before the viewing date, and we are unable to accommodate the viewing in our theatre, we charge a withdrawal fee.

Express and Next Day turnaround video

If our measurement of your content is longer than the running time stated on your submission form and requires a longer regular viewing slot, our Finance Team will contact you with the following three options:

  • Remain in the shorter turnaround slot and pay the difference if we have the capacity to view the work within the time.

  • Change the turnaround slot on Horizon to a standard turnaround.

  • Withdraw/cancel the submission (this will be subject to a withdrawal fee).

Cinema (theatrical) content that is shorter than the booked slot

This relates to theatrical submissions only.

If our measurement of your content is shorter than the running time stated on your submission form, we will charge a fee that reflects the originally stated running time.

The following exceptions apply:

  • If you are able to notify us of the correct running time by 12pm two working days before the viewing, we will only charge the measured running time.

  • If your content has a running time of one minute less than the booked time, we will not charge for this minute.

Incomplete cinema (theatrical) submissions

If we find content to be incomplete, unfinished, or in any other respect not the version you will be releasing, we reserve the right to convert the submission to an advice viewing. For this we charge the advice viewing fee. We ask that you submit the content again in its finished version for another full viewing, and we charge this in full. The company must cover the costs of a rescheduled outside screening room.

Cinema (theatrical) bookings made for external venues

Classification screenings that take place outside of the BBFC premises must be paid for at the same time as the classification fee. The cost of external venues/screening rooms must be covered by the invoiced company.

If an outside screening does not occur due to non delivery of content or cancellation of the submission, any cancellation fees from the outside venue must be covered by the invoiced company, regardless of the submission turnaround time.

Video-on-Demand

Standard costs for digital ratings are offset if (1) the same content is later submitted for a DVD/Blu-ray rating under the VRA and (2) we have the original Video-on-Demand submission in a format that makes it possible to compare it with the VRA submission.

Where a video submission consists of several elements that have each received individual VoD classifications, only one of the original fixed fees are included in the offset fee.

The additional fees for Next Day and Express turnaround fees are not offset during subsequent VRA submissions.