Serial publications
On this page, you can find information about how to apply for a serial classification declaration for a publication.
- Serial Classification Declaration
- How long will a Serial Classification Declaration last?
- Advantages of Serial Classification Declarations
- How to apply for a serial declaration
- Training to assist you to maintain your Serial Classification Declaration
- What if I don’t agree with the Board’s decision?
- Where can I get more information?
Serial Classification Declaration
Under the national classification scheme, only a 'submittable' publication requires classification. A 'submittable' publication is one that is likely to be restricted to adults because it:
- contains depictions or descriptions likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult, or
- is unsuitable for a minor to see or read, or
- is likely to be refused classification.
A 'submittable publication', whether local or imported, must be classified before it can be displayed for sale.
If the Classification Board issues a Serial Classification Declaration for your publication, you will be able to apply the classification rating (and conditions, if applicable) granted to a single issue of that publication to all future issues released within a set period of time. In other words, you can submit a current sample of your publication and on the basis of the content, the Classification Board may issue you with a Declaration that all future issues of that publication carry the same classification, until the Declaration expires.
The object of a Serial Classification Declaration is to allow you to publish/distribute your title without submitting it again for the duration of the Declaration. Declarations must be based on a recent issue of the publication. For the first Declaration for a particular title you may either submit a new issue of your publication or use one of the last three issues you have had classified by the Board as the basis for a Declaration, provided they were classified recently. For a renewal of an existing Declaration, you must submit a new issue of the publication for discrete classification as a basis for the new Declaration.
You must ensure that any and all issues of the title published under a Declaration do not exceed the classification granted by the Board. If you do exceed the classification granted under the Declaration, the Board may revoke the Declaration and you will be required to submit each issue for individual classification.
How long will a Serial Classification Declaration last?
Serial declarations may be granted for a period to be determined by the Classification Board.
Advantages of Serial Classification Declarations
You can save time and money. You do not have to submit further issues of approved publications for classification for a set period, and there are no further classification fees payable until that time expires.
Serial classifications offer major cost savings for almost all applicants over the individual classification fees, as well as savings in time.
How to apply for a Serial Declaration
If you are a new applicant you will first need to set up an account in our records database by completing and submitting a New Account Setup Request Form to the Business Support Unit (contact details are on the form). It is preferable for you to do this before you submit any applications or payments for classification. If you are an existing client and your business name, ABN or contact details have changed please use the new account or account update forms in the application forms section of our website.
You need to submit a valid Serial Classification Declaration application form. All sections of the Application form must be completed correctly. This form is provided for in the Classification Act and approved by the Director. You must fill in the form correctly or there will be delays in your application. The form can be found on the Application forms – Publications page.
A Serial Classification Declaration discretely classified version of the title to which the Declaration will apply. That is, one that has not been the subject of a previous declaration granted by the Classification Board. As a basis for the Declaration, you must choose one of the following options:
- For the first Declaration for your publication, submit a copy of the title you wish to be the subject of the Declaration, with a standard Publication Applications Form and fee, and a Serial Classification Declaration application and fee. The Board will classify the title you have submitted, then use that classification as the basis for granting a Serial Classification Declaration for that title.
or: - If you have recently submitted the title for classification, you may nominate any one of the last three issues to have been classified as the basis of a Serial Classification Declaration for that title. In this case, you need only submit a Serial Classification Declaration application with fee, nominating which of the three previously classified issues you would like the Board to consider.
or: - If you are renewing a Declaration, you must provide a new, discrete issue of the publication as the basis for the new Declaration. Follow the steps in (a) above.
The original issue nominated must be representative of the classification history for that publication. The Classification Board reserves the right to determine how recently a publication has been classified for it to be eligible as the basis for a Declaration. Particular attention should be paid to any conditions imposed on the sale, display or delivery of the publication by the Classification Board (such as opaque covers on the front or rear of the publication). If you nominate an original issue that is not representative of the publications classification history or conditions for sale, display or delivery the Classification Board may decline to deal with the application.
You must ensure that any issue of the title published under the Declaration maintains the same level of classification as the example on which it is based. If this condition is breached, your declaration will be revoked by the Board.
The Board needs to be satisfied that future issues of a periodical will comply with the classification rating and packaging conditions (if applicable) granted under the Declaration. To do this, the Board will apply the Classification (Serial Publications) Principles [PDF 73KB]. The Board will also consider the publication's classification history, and whether previous issues of the title have been published in a form that does not comply with its classification markings or its packaging conditions.
To assist the Board in assessing your application you may make a written statement outlining steps that you need to take to ensure that future issues of the publication will not be higher than the original issue or will not contain an advertisement that has been refused approval as well as steps you will take to comply with a condition that may be imposed by the Board in relation to packaging of the publication. To make a written statement you can complete and attach the Serial Declaration Statement (Step Three of the Serial Classification Declaration application).
Training to assist you to maintain your Serial Classification Declaration
The Classification Branch of the Attorney-General's Department, which provides support services to the Classification Board, can provide training in the classification of publications to help you maintain your Declaration. The training is designed to help you make judgments about what kind of content is allowed at each of the three classification levels for publications:
- Unrestricted
- Category 1
- Category 2.
A Declaration for your publication means that you may release any number of issues of the title to which the Declaration refers for the duration of the Declaration. However, each issue of the title must not exceed the classification given under the Declaration. Training can help you understand the Publication Guidelines [PDF 525KB] the Classification Board uses to arrive at a given classification, and help you ensure that the content of your title stays within the classification granted. This is particularly relevant if you are modifying a publication to achieve a lower level classification.
You may apply for training by contacting the Education and Communication Section on telephone: (02) 9289 7100 or by email: enquiries@classification.gov.au, or please refer to the tailored training page in the training section of our website.
What if I disagree with the Classification Board's decision?
You can ask a Classification Applications Officer for a copy of the Classification Board's reasons for decision. You can also apply for a review to the Classification Review Board, an independent review body.
Refer to how to apply for review of Classification Board decisions for information on applying for a review, application forms and the review fee.
Where can I get more information?
If you have any further enquiries you can contact the appropriate officer on one of the telephone numbers below.
If you require additional information you can submit an enquiry or contact an appropriate officer on one of the telephone numbers below.
Enquiries relating to:
An application for serial classification of a publication
Senior Applications Officer
Telephone: (02) 9289 7100
A review of a classification decision
Secretary of the Classification Review Board
Telephone: (02) 9289 7100
Where do I send my application?
By post
The Director
Classification Board
Locked Bag 3
HAYMARKET NSW 1240
By courier
The Director
Classification Board
Level 5, 23 – 33 Mary St
SURRY HILLS NSW 2010