As of October 3, 2026, YouTube has two main Partner Program entry tiers. Eligible creators in regions with expanded YPP can apply at 500 subscribers for certain fan-funding and Shopping features. To become eligible for Watch Page Ads, Shorts Feed Ads, and YouTube Premium revenue, the standard threshold is 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days. Meeting a threshold lets you apply; it does not guarantee acceptance.
Which YouTube monetization threshold do you need?
The right threshold depends on the features you want. The watch-hour and Shorts-view routes within each tier are alternatives: you do not add them together.
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| Route | Subscriber minimum | Other qualifying activity | Features associated with the tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded YPP | 500 | Three valid public uploads in the previous 90 days, plus either 3,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 12 months or 3 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days | Eligible fan-funding and Shopping features, subject to their additional requirements |
| Standard YPP ad and Premium eligibility | 1,000 | Either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days | Watch Page Ads, Shorts Feed Ads, and YouTube Premium revenue eligibility, subject to applicable terms and feature requirements |
The expanded tier is available only in participating countries and regions. YouTube’s expanded YPP overview lists the availability and lower-tier requirements; the monetization feature comparison explains which features sit at each threshold. YouTube can also impose feature-specific age, location, content, and terms requirements.
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Qualified public watch hours
The watch-hour route counts qualifying watch time from public long-form videos. Shorts Feed watch time does not count toward the public watch-hour threshold. Watch time from private, unlisted, or deleted videos and ad campaigns is excluded. Livestream watch time also does not count if the stream remains unlisted, is deleted, or is not converted to video on demand.
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Qualified Shorts views
The Shorts route counts eligible views of public Shorts that appear in the Shorts Feed. Views of private, unlisted, or deleted Shorts, views from ad campaigns, and image posts in the Shorts Feed are excluded. Paid promotion is not a shortcut: views and watch time generated by paid ad campaigns do not count toward these thresholds, although qualifying organic viewing after a promotion may count. See YouTube’s YPP eligibility rules and feature guidance for the exclusions.
Requirements beyond the numbers
Before applying, check that your channel and account meet YouTube’s other listed conditions. They include:
- You live in a country or region where the relevant YPP tier is available.
- Your channel follows YouTube’s channel monetization policies and has no active Community Guidelines strikes.
- Two-Step Verification is enabled on your Google Account.
- You have access to YouTube’s advanced features.
- You have or are ready to set up one AdSense for YouTube account through YouTube Studio.
Monetization review considers the channel as a whole, including applicable Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, copyright and rights-clearance rules, YPP policies, and advertiser-friendly content standards for ads. Read YouTube’s channel monetization policies before applying; reaching a view or subscriber target does not override them.
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How to apply in YouTube Studio
- Sign in to YouTube with the channel that you want to monetize and open YouTube Studio.
- Open Earn in the Studio menu. Check the eligibility panel to see your progress toward the available threshold and any account requirements still outstanding.
- When the channel is eligible, start the YPP application in the Earn section. Complete the signup steps, accept the applicable terms, and set up or link an AdSense for YouTube account when prompted. Use YouTube Studio to create or connect the account rather than setting up a second one for the same payee.
- Submit the application and wait for YouTube’s channel review. YouTube states: “Once you apply, your channel will go through a standard review process to see whether your channel meets our policies and guidelines.”
- If accepted, return to Earn and review which monetization features are available. Turn on the features you want and accept their relevant terms or modules; YPP admission alone does not activate every feature.
YouTube says subscriber or watch-hour counts may fall below the threshold while an application is waiting for review without stopping that review. It may also turn off monetization for a channel with no video uploads or Posts activity for six months or more. These conditions are described in the YPP eligibility documentation.
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What changes on February 1, 2027?
The higher threshold below is announced for the future; it is not the standard ad and Premium threshold in effect on October 3, 2026. YouTube says that starting February 1, 2027, new creators seeking ad and Premium revenue will need 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days. The announcement says existing YPP status is unaffected and the lower fan-funding and Shopping route remains at 500 subscribers, three valid public uploads in 90 days, and either 3,000 qualified watch hours or 3 million qualified Shorts views. Check YouTube’s YPP changes notice and YouTube Studio for updates.
Common eligibility problems
Your total watch time is high, but eligible hours are low
Check whether the viewing came from Shorts Feed, private or unlisted videos, deleted uploads, ad campaigns, or livestreams that were not kept public and converted to video on demand. Those categories do not qualify for the public watch-hour route.
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Your Shorts views do not match the eligibility counter
Confirm that the views are on public Shorts appearing in the Shorts Feed and are not from an ad campaign. Private, unlisted, or deleted Shorts and image posts are excluded.
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Check regional availability, the three-upload requirement if using expanded YPP, account prerequisites, active strikes, and channel policy compliance. The thresholds are entry conditions, not automatic approval; YouTube reviews the channel and feature-specific conditions can still apply.
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You are accepted but Shorts views are not earning ad revenue
Check that you have accepted the Shorts Monetization Module. Eligible Shorts views start qualifying for revenue sharing from acceptance onward; views from before acceptance are not paid under that module. See YouTube’s Shorts monetization policies.
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If your channel uses a pre-recorded video for a continuous YouTube livestream, keeping it live does not change YPP eligibility: watch time must still meet YouTube’s counting rules, and the channel must pass review. StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; videos stream as uploaded at any quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, and StreamNeo can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo or start your free day.
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