YouTube will double key eligibility thresholds for new creators seeking ad and Premium revenue from February 2027, while the 1,000-subscriber requirement will remain unchanged.
YouTube is set to make it significantly harder for new creators to qualify for advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, with the platform announcing tougher entry requirements for its Partner Program from Feb. 1, 2027.
Under the new rules, creators applying to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) for the first time will still need at least 1,000 subscribers. However, they will also have to complete either 8,000 valid public watch hours from long-form content during the previous 365 days or reach 20 million valid public Shorts views within 90 days.
The new thresholds represent a major increase from the current requirements of 4,000 valid public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million valid public Shorts views in 90 days. YouTube’s existing eligibility information confirms the current thresholds.
The subscriber requirement, however, will remain at 1,000 for creators seeking ad revenue and YouTube Premium revenue sharing. This means simply reaching the subscriber milestone will not be enough to unlock full video monetization under the new system.
The changes are particularly significant for new channels that rely heavily on Shorts. Such creators will need to generate 20 million qualifying views within a 90-day period, while long-form creators will have to accumulate 8,000 qualifying watch hours over a year.
YouTube is also introducing requirements related to maintaining activity within the Partner Program. According to the announced changes, creators will need to meet certain activity thresholds, such as watch hours, Shorts views or regular uploads, to remain active. Existing YPP members will need to accept updated terms by Jan. 31, 2027.
Importantly, the higher entry thresholds apply to new creators seeking to join the relevant monetization tier. The lower initial YPP tier, which can provide access to features such as memberships and fan-funding tools at lower thresholds, remains separate from the full ad-revenue requirements.
For aspiring YouTubers, the change means consistent, original and engaging content will become even more important. Creators will need to build substantial audience engagement before reaching the stage where advertising revenue becomes available.
YouTube also continues to require channels to comply with its monetization policies, advertiser-friendly content standards and other platform rules before revenue sharing can begin.
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