You can apply to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) through either of two routes: an expanded-access tier starting at 500 subscribers, or the higher threshold for Watch Page ads, Shorts Feed ads and YouTube Premium revenue sharing. Meeting a threshold makes your channel eligible to apply; YouTube still reviews the channel, and acceptance is not automatic.
YPP eligibility at a glance
YouTube Help’s eligibility pages, checked October 3, 2026, set out two levels. The lower threshold is for expanded YPP access in supported countries and regions; it is not the threshold for ad revenue sharing.
| Route | Subscriber requirement | Qualifying activity | Additional upload requirement | What it can unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded YPP | 500 | 3,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 3 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days | Three valid public uploads in the last 90 days | Fan-funding and Shopping features, subject to feature-specific rules; available only in supported countries and regions |
| Ad and Premium revenue-sharing threshold | 1,000 | 4,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days | No separate upload-count requirement is stated for this threshold | Eligibility to apply for Watch Page ads, Shorts Feed ads and YouTube Premium revenue sharing |
These are YouTube’s eligibility criteria, not estimates of how quickly a channel will grow or earn. Check YouTube’s expanded YPP overview for regional availability and the Earn area in YouTube Studio for the options available to your channel.
What counts toward the thresholds?
Watch hours
The 3,000- or 4,000-hour route counts qualified watch hours from public long-form videos during the relevant 12-month period. YouTube excludes watch time from private, unlisted or deleted videos, ad campaigns, Shorts, and livestreams that are unlisted, deleted or not converted to video on demand. Shorts Feed viewing time does not count toward the 4,000-hour requirement.
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Shorts views
The Shorts route counts qualified views of public Shorts shown in the Shorts Feed during the relevant 90-day period. Views from private, unlisted or deleted Shorts and ad campaigns are excluded. YouTube also excludes reused, non-original, artificial or advertiser-ineligible Shorts views from Shorts revenue sharing.
Why Studio totals may differ
Do not assume the total watch time or views shown in general channel analytics equal YPP-qualifying totals. Paid promotion views do not count toward the thresholds, apart from qualifying organic follow-on views described by YouTube. Check the Earn area in Studio for progress toward eligibility and YouTube’s YPP requirements for the current counting rules.
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How to apply to the YouTube Partner Program
Before applying, the channel must meet YouTube’s policy and account requirements as well as one of the thresholds above.
- Be based in a country or region where YPP is available.
- Have no active Community Guidelines strikes.
- Follow YouTube’s channel monetization policies.
- Turn on 2-Step Verification for the Google Account.
- Have access to YouTube advanced features.
- Link one active AdSense for YouTube account, or set one up through YouTube Studio.
- Open YouTube Studio and select Earn.
- When the channel is eligible, follow the on-screen signup steps, accept the applicable base terms and link AdSense for YouTube.
- Wait for YouTube’s channel review. YouTube says review uses automated systems and human reviewers and considers the channel as a whole.
Hitting the subscriber and activity threshold qualifies you to apply; it does not guarantee acceptance. YouTube continues checking channels after acceptance, and policy violations can result in monetization being removed regardless of channel totals. YouTube may also turn off monetization if a channel has not uploaded a video or posted to the Posts tab for six months or more.
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YPP offers several monetization routes, each with its own eligibility requirements and terms. Availability depends on the feature, the creator’s location and the channel’s status. YouTube’s monetization overview describes the options below.
| Revenue route | How it works |
|---|---|
| Watch Page ads | Eligible creators can earn from ads shown on or around qualifying videos watched on YouTube’s Watch Page. |
| Shorts Feed ads | Eligible creators can share revenue allocated through the Shorts revenue-sharing system for eligible Shorts views. |
| YouTube Premium | Creators may receive revenue when YouTube Premium members watch their content. |
| Channel memberships | Viewers make recurring payments in exchange for creator-provided perks. |
| Super Chat and Super Stickers | Eligible viewers can pay to highlight messages or use stickers in eligible live chats. |
| Super Thanks | Viewers can make a one-off contribution on eligible videos and Shorts. |
| Shopping | Eligible creators can feature their own merchandise; some creators may also feature products from other brands. |
| YouTube Shopping affiliate program | Eligible creators may earn commission when viewers buy third-party products featured in their content. Confirm eligibility and current terms in YouTube Studio. |
Fan-funding features generally require creators to be at least 18, live where the feature is available, be in YPP and accept the Commerce Product Module. Individual features may have additional requirements, such as channel-type or content restrictions. Check YouTube’s feature-specific monetization rules before relying on a particular option.
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Policies that can affect approval and earnings
YPP review is not just a check of subscriber and view totals. YouTube evaluates the channel against its monetization policies, Community Guidelines, copyright rules, advertiser-friendly content guidelines and the terms for the relevant monetization modules. Shorts revenue sharing also excludes reused, non-original, artificial or advertiser-ineligible views. Read YouTube’s channel monetization policies and Shorts monetization policies.
YouTube may show ads on videos even when a creator has not met the higher YPP threshold for ad revenue sharing. The presence of ads alone does not mean the creator receives a share.
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YouTube’s partner earnings guidance says the partner agreement does not guarantee a particular payment amount—or any payment. Its terms describe 70% of net revenue for memberships and Supers, and 45% of the revenue allocated to a creator through the Shorts Creator Pool mechanism. Those are terms for the relevant features, not a forecast of what an individual channel will earn. See YouTube’s partner earnings overview.
Upcoming YPP terms date
YouTube’s YPP overview currently says updated terms begin February 1, 2027, and creators should review and accept them in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027 to continue fully monetizing. Because this is a scheduled future policy change, check the official YPP overview and the Earn area in Studio as the date approaches. YouTube’s Shorts policy page also describes a future change to the Shorts revenue-sharing eligibility calculation from February 1, 2027; verify that page for current details.
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If you use pre-recorded documentary footage in an always-on YouTube stream, the stream itself does not guarantee YPP approval or revenue. You remain responsible for rights, monetization policies and the suitability of the content. A channel’s live content also needs to meet the applicable YouTube rules.
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