Age Rating Checker
Is this film OK for my kid?
A rating letter on its own tells you very little. This walks through what each US rating actually permits, what it deliberately does not measure, and which specific things to check before you press play.
What the ratings actually mean
These are the US Motion Picture Association classifications, assigned by its ratings board. They are advisory, not legal, and other countries use entirely different systems.
- G — General audiences. Nothing the board considers offensive for children.
- PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not suit children; parents are asked to look into it.
- PG-13 — Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for under-13s. This is the widest band by far and covers everything from mild adventure to sustained intense violence.
- R — Restricted. Under-17s require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.
- NC-17 — No one 17 and under admitted.
What a rating does not tell you
The letter is a single summary of a whole film. It does not say where the difficult material sits, how long it lasts, or whether it is the kind of thing your particular child finds upsetting. Two PG-13 films can be wildly different experiences.
The useful part is the descriptor — the short line printed under the rating, such as “for intense sequences of violence and some strong language”. That names the actual reason. Always read it rather than the letter alone.
Better questions than “what is it rated?”
- Is the frightening material sustained, or one scene you could talk through afterwards?
- Is the violence consequence-free, or does the film show it hurting people?
- Does your child already know this story from a book, a game or a playground version?
- Are you watching together? Almost everything is easier with an adult in the room.
More on this in Age Ratings & Parents Guides. Ratings terminology is defined in the glossary.
Looking for something the whole family will watch?
Pick by mood rather than by rating.
Try the vibe finder