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.