New YouTube Partner Program Rules Target Active Creators
SAN FRANCISCO: YouTube is set to introduce stricter eligibility requirements for new creators seeking advertising and Premium revenue through its Partner Program.
The updated rules will take effect on February 1, 2027. New applicants will need either 8,000 qualified watch hours during the previous 12 months or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days.
However, the changes will only apply to creators joining the program after the new rules begin. Existing Partner Program members will not face the updated entry requirements.
YouTube said the changes aim to recognise active creators as the platform continues expanding rapidly. The company reports more than 200 billion daily Shorts views and over one billion hours of television viewing each day.
Shorts Creators Face Additional Requirement
Meanwhile, YouTube will introduce a separate requirement for creators earning through the Shorts Creator Revenue Pool.
Creators must maintain at least 10 million Shorts views during a 90-day period to continue receiving Shorts revenue. Channels that fall below the threshold will remain in the Partner Program.
Those channels can continue earning revenue from long-form content. Moreover, Shorts monetisation will resume after creators reach the required viewing level again.
The changes represent YouTube’s first major Partner Program eligibility update since 2018.
However, eligibility requirements for fan funding and shopping features will remain unchanged.
YouTube also expects to distribute more money to creators in 2027 than it did in 2026, despite the tighter requirements for new applicants.
