YouTube Partner Program: 2026 Requirements

All figures below were checked on 15 September 2026 against YouTube's own help pages.

The main thresholds

To reach ad revenue sharing and YouTube Premium revenue, a channel needs either:

1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months, or
1,000 subscribers and 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.

The earlier 500-subscriber tier

YouTube also runs an expanded entry point. A channel with 500 subscribers, 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months or 3 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days can join for fan funding and Shopping features, which covers channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks and gifts. Ad revenue share is not included at that tier (YouTube Help).

What changes on 1 February 2027

YouTube has announced that new applicants will then need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Existing members are not affected, and the fan funding thresholds do not change (YouTube Blog).

The other conditions

Live in a country where YPP is available, follow the channel monetization policies, hold no active Community Guidelines strikes, turn on 2-Step Verification, have advanced features access and link an AdSense account.

Reused content is where faceless channels fail review. See faceless YouTube channel and the guide to YouTube Shorts monetization.

FAQ

Questions about youtube partner program

What are the YouTube Partner Program requirements right now?

As of September 2026: 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 qualified public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. A separate 500-subscriber tier unlocks fan funding and Shopping, but not ad revenue share.

Are the YouTube monetization requirements changing?

Yes. YouTube has announced that from 1 February 2027, new applicants will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Existing members keep their status and the fan funding thresholds are unchanged.

Can an AI-generated faceless channel join YPP?

Yes, if the content is original and adds real value. YouTube reviews for reused content, meaning reuploads and mass-produced videos with no meaningful change. An original script, your own voiceover choice and your own edit pass that bar; a channel of reuploaded clips does not.

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YouTube Shorts Monetization in 2026: Rules, RPM, Payouts

What Shorts monetization needs in 2026, what the Creator Pool pays per 1,000 views, and what changes on February 1, 2027. Start your channel today.

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Related terms

Glossary

RPM

RPM stands for revenue per mille: how much a creator actually earned for every 1,000 video views, measured after the platform's revenue share and across all income sources, not only ads.

Watch time

Watch time is the total amount of time viewers have spent watching your videos, reported in hours, and it is the figure YouTube uses for Partner Program eligibility.

YouTube Partner Program