The movie rating arrangement used in the United States was produce in 1968 , as a replacement to the Hays Production Code . The Hays Production Code plainly reach the Production Code Administration ’s approval or disapproval of a picture , without any step to discover the moving picture ’s content . The arrival of more and more full - appealingness moving picture contain grownup contentedness lead theMotion Picture Association of America(MPAA ) , in connective with the National Association of Theater Owners ( NATO ) and the International Film Importers & Distributors of America ( IFIDA ) , to forge a new evaluation organisation to aid parents protect their kid from mature fabric . The rating organization originally consisted of four ratings and now includes five .

The eubstance that assigns these ratings is the Rating Board , located in Los Angeles . The Rating Board lie of eight to 13 full - time members and is part of theClassification and Rating Administration . The Chief Executive of the MPAA chooses the chairwoman of the Rating Board but has no say over the board ’s decision . dining table members come from a variety of background , but they all have some parenting experience so they can look at moving-picture show with a parent ’s perspective . member of the board view each moving-picture show submitted for a evaluation , figure the appropriate rating individually , hash out their thinking as a radical and vote on what stag the film should receive . The gameboard also provide the manufacturer of the motion picture with an explanation of its conclusion , if the manufacturer requests one . If the producer is n’t well-chosen with the rating the film receive , he can re - edit the film and feed back it for rating , or he can appeal the board ’s determination . In this casing , the Appeals Board , which consist of 14 to 18 picture show industry professional person , hears both side of the argument and votes on whether to tump over the decisiveness . A evaluation can only be tip over by a two - thirds absolute majority vote .

The valuation process is mostly subjective and is ever evolving . A Policy Review Committee comprising MPAA and NATO official monitor the Review Board and allow for guidelines to follow when rating film . At this time , the Rating Board rates movies as survey :

This rating cognitive operation is entirely optional ; no filmmaker is required to submit her picture for a CARA rating . Most filmmaker do because most picture show theatre in the United States expend the ratings system , and it ’s harder to get them to show a movie if it ’s not rated . film maker who do not render their movies to the Rating Board are loose to release their movie unrated or to apply any other rating system . They can not apply any of the above rating , however , as they are trademarked . CARA is not associated with the U.S. government , and its pic ratings have no sound meaning .

This rating arrangement is used when movies come out in theaters and when they are released on video . It is intended only for use in the United States . Rating organizations in other country apply their own ratings to U.S. movies , and the Rating Board charge per unit resign foreign movies with its arrangement , disregarding the film ’s rating in any other country .

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Movie Ratings FAQ