UK Act of Parliament 1984 United Kingdom

Video Recordings Act 1984

An Act to make provision for regulating the distribution of video recordings and for connected purposes.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
Trading Standards, BBFC
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 3 of 7 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 3 carry different penalties and 1 has no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person6

Plus 1 duty on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

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If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2684 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.004 Authority to determine suitability of video works for classification. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must ensure appeal rights before designating classification authorityCrown / Minister / Government department
s.009 Supplying video recording of unclassified work. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Supply unclassified video recordingAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.010 Possession of video recording of unclassified work for the purposes of supply. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Possess unclassified video for supplyAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.011 Supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Supply age-restricted video to underage personAny Person
s.012 Certain video recordings only to be supplied in licensed sex shops. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Supply restricted video outside licensed sex shopAny Person
s.013 Supply of video recording not complying with requirementsas to labels, etc. (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Supply video recording not meeting labelling requirementsAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.014 Supply of video recording containing false indication as to classification. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Supply video recording with false classification indicationAny Person
29 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Interpretation of terms. (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Exempted works. (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Conditions relating to video games
s.003 Exempted supplies. (opens in a new tab)
s.004 Criteria for suitability to which special regard to be had.
s.004 Review of determinations as to suitability.
s.004 Designated authorities for video games and other video works
s.004 Designated authorities: allocation of responsibility for video games
s.004 Designated authorities: video works included in video games
s.005 Parliamentary procedure for designation. (opens in a new tab)
s.006 Annual report. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Classification certificates. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Classification certificates for particular video recordings
s.008 Requirements as to labelling (opens in a new tab)
s.014 General defence to offences under this Act.
s.015 Time limit for prosecutions. (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Offences by bodies corporate. (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Enforcement.
s.016 Extension of jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts in linked cases.
s.016 Extension of jurisdiction of sheriff in linked cases.
s.016 Extension of jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts in Northern Ireland in linked cases.
s.017 Entry, search and seizure. (opens in a new tab)
s.018 Arrest. (opens in a new tab)
s.019 Evidence by certificate. (opens in a new tab)
s.020 Miscellaneous and supplementary (opens in a new tab)
s.021 Forfeiture. (opens in a new tab)
s.022 Other interpretation. (opens in a new tab)
s.022 Regulations
s.023 Short title, commencement and extent. (opens in a new tab)

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

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Run a retail business

Ongoing compliance and operational guidance for established retail businesses

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Launch a retail business with the right consumer protection compliance

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For film and TV production companies, video producers, sound recording studios, music publishers and cinemas. Put the employer duties in place for …
3 more guides that reference this instrument
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Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.