Content rating is set for app stores

Both app stores require content ratings completed through the IARC system (apple-age-ratings, google-play-content-rating) before an app can go live. Without a rating, submissions are blocked at the final publish step regardless of how polished the binary is. A rating also serves a compliance function: apps that collect data from users under 13 must declare this through the rating questionnaire, which triggers COPPA compliance requirements. Incorrectly self-rating an app lower than its actual content (e.g., rating a 17+ app as 4+) constitutes misrepresentation and can result in removal and developer account termination — a disproportionate consequence for what appears to be a configuration step.

Complete the IARC content rating questionnaire before submission. For EAS-managed submissions, the eas submit flow prompts for this interactively. For manual submissions, initiate the questionnaire in App Store Connect or Google Play Console before uploading the binary.

// eas.json — configure submit flow to include rating
{
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "appleId": "you@example.com",
        "ascAppId": "1234567890"
      },
      "android": {
        "serviceAccountKeyPath": "./google-play-key.json",
        "track": "production"
      }
    }
  }
}

Allocate 10–15 minutes for the questionnaire. Answer honestly — the system asks about violence, sexual content, profanity, controlled substances, and in-app purchases. The resulting IARC certificate propagates automatically across Apple and Google stores.

• ID: mobile-store-readiness.store-compliance.content-rating-set
• Severity: high
• What to look for: Check app.json for ios.requiresFullScreen or rating-related fields, and look for content rating metadata in Android config or eas.json. Count all content-rating-related configuration fields found. For App Store, check if IARC content rating has been completed (should have a rating ID). For Play Store, check if content rating questionnaire has been filled. Look in eas.json for submit.ios.ascAppIdApple and content rating references.
• Pass criteria: Content rating is set or will be completed during submission. For Expo EAS, submit configuration includes content rating steps or an ascAppIdApple reference. For manual submission, at least 1 rating-related configuration field exists in app.json or eas.json.
• Fail criteria: Content rating is missing or not planned, submission flow does not include content rating steps. No rating configuration found in any config file.
• Skip (N/A) when: Never — both stores require content rating before publication.
• Detail on fail: "No content rating configuration found in app.json or eas.json" or "eas.json submit configuration does not include content rating step"
• Remediation: App stores require content ratings before publication. Complete:
  1. For App Store (via IARC):
     • Go to https://www.globalratingcoalition.org/
     • Answer the IARC content rating questionnaire
     • Receive a rating ID
     • In app.json: "ios": { "ratingId": "..." } (if using EAS)
  2. For Google Play Store:
     • Complete the Play Console content rating questionnaire when submitting
     • Or set up in advance at https://play.google.com/console
  3. Rating typically takes a few minutes to complete:
     • Answer about content types (violence, language, mature themes, etc.)
     • Receive a rating (4+, 9+, 12+, 17+)
  4. If using EAS Build with submit:

     eas build --platform ios --auto-submit  # Prompts for rating during submit