Magazine and Book Retailers
This page contains information for retailers and distributors of restricted books and magazines. Suppliers are responsible for ensuring that all material is sold, hired or loaned to the public in a way that complies with the classification law.
It is an offence to :
- supply a restricted publication to an underage person
- make a publication available to anyone who is under the age it would likely be restricted to if it were classified under the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act
- sell or give a restricted publication to a person if you know they are going to supply it to someone underage
- not comply with labelling requirements or display conditions
See What the Act Restricts for information about the classification criteria and the meaning of ‘restricted content’.
Labelling requirements and display conditions
Distributors and retailers can apply their own labels to books and magazines to show that the publication must not be sold to underage people. Retailers can take steps at the point of sale, such as asking for proof of age identification, to ascertain the age of a customer before selling an age restricted publication.
Stores must display any restricted publications in an appropriate manner. Practically speaking, this means that magazines with, for example, sexually explicit content on the cover, must be displayed in opaque wrapping or some other covering unless they are in an adults only area.
Books and magazines classified as restricted by the Classification Office can also have specific display restrictions placed upon them. If you think a publication you have in your store may have display conditions that you need to meet, you should contact the publication’s distributor or the Information Unit.
Any books and magazines that have been given a restricted classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification from 2005 onward have an official label affixed to them. To obtain labels, contact the Film and Video Labelling Body.
How to submit books and magazines for classification
Retailers and distributors can apply to the Chief Censor to submit books and magazines to the Office for classification, under section 13(1)(c) of the Act.
Your submission should include:
- A copy of the publication you want to have classified;
- A completed section 13(1)(c) submission form and the correct fee; and
- A covering letter outlining your interest in getting the publication classified (optional).
For detailed information about fees, see Information Sheet 3: Fees for Getting a Publication Classified on our Downloads page.
Serial Publication Orders
The Classification Office is able to issue a Serial Publication Order (SPO) on a magazine. This means that each issue of the magazine will have the same classification for a period of up to 2 years. The Order also sets out any labelling requirements and display conditions which magazines under the SPO must comply with. To apply for an SPO, 3 consecutive issues of a magazine must be submitted for classification along with a request for an SPO to be applied.
If you would like more information on Serial Publication Orders contact the Information Unit.
For more information on the classification of magazines and books contact the Information Unit