To monetize a YouTube channel as of October 2026, you need 1,000 subscribers plus one of two goals: 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months, or 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Hitting the numbers does not guarantee approval. Your whole channel goes through a review that usually takes about a month.
What are the YouTube Partner Program requirements?
The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) is the gateway to ad revenue and other earning features. According to YouTube’s help page, you need:
- 1,000 subscribers, plus either 4,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months (public long-form videos only) or 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days.
- Compliance with the channel monetization policies.
- A home in a country or region where the program is available. The page links to the list instead of printing it.
- No active Community Guidelines strikes.
- 2-Step Verification turned on for your Google Account.
- Access to advanced features on YouTube.
- One active AdSense for YouTube account, which you can set up in YouTube Studio.
For ads specifically, the program overview adds that you must be at least 18, or have an adult legal guardian who handles payments through AdSense.
What does not count toward the goal?
Some numbers look like they count but do not:
- Private, unlisted and deleted videos.
- Watch hours generated by ad campaigns.
- Shorts Feed watch hours do not count toward the 4,000 hours. Shorts have their own 10 million views path.
- Livestreams that are unlisted, deleted or not converted to video on demand.
How do you apply, step by step?
- Open YouTube Studio and find the channel’s monetization area.
- Check the progress bars for subscribers and watch hours or Shorts views.
- Turn on 2-Step Verification on your Google Account before applying.
- Accept the program terms and link AdSense. Review begins only after you finish these steps.
- Wait for the review. YouTube says it typically takes about one month, can take longer, and is handled in the order received. Your counts can drop below the threshold while you wait without affecting the review.
- Avoid editing the channel during this period. Changing video privacy or deleting videos may affect your application.
What if you are rejected?
You can appeal within 21 days or reapply after 30 days. After a repeat rejection, or a rejection on reapplication, the wait before trying again is 90 days. In our view, treat a rejection as a diagnosis: review videos with reused content, compilations and anything that could break the policies before you try again.
How does a channel earn money once approved?
The program overview lists several sources, each with its own requirements:
- Ads on watch pages and in the Shorts feed.
- YouTube Premium revenue when a Premium subscriber watches your content.
- Channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Thanks.
- Shopping, with your own products or other brands’ products through the affiliate program. According to the page, it requires 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.
These pages do not state a payout minimum or the long-form revenue split. For Shorts, the help page says monetizing creators keep 45% of their allocated revenue.
What changes in February 2027?
Two dates matter:
- Starting February 1, 2027, updated program terms apply. To keep full monetization, accept them in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027.
- Also starting February 1, 2027, per the Shorts page, a channel needs 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn Shorts ad and YouTube Premium revenue for a given month.
One more thing to watch: channels with no uploads or Posts for 6 months or more can lose monetization.
How much time and money does it take?
Joining costs nothing. The real cost is time: producing, publishing and waiting for the channel to reach the goals. A simple example: 4,000 hours is 240,000 minutes of watch time. If your videos average 5 minutes watched, that is roughly 48,000 full views over 12 months. This is a rough order of magnitude, not a forecast; results vary widely by channel.
Report the income under your own country’s rules. YouTube notes you may owe taxes on monetized earnings and suggests checking with your local tax authority.
Common mistakes
- Buying subscribers or views. Fake numbers do not count and can lead to a rejection.
- Reusing other people’s clips without adding anything. Repetitive or unoriginal content is a common reason for rejection.
- Skipping 2-Step Verification and leaving the application stuck.
- Deleting videos during review.
Who this path is not for
It is not for people who need income within weeks, who do not want to film or edit regularly, who live outside the program’s countries, or who plan to repost other people’s videos.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours at the same time?
Yes, for the long-form path: 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours in 12 months. On the Shorts path it is 1,000 subscribers plus 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
How long does the review take?
Typically about one month, according to YouTube. It can take longer during busy periods.
Can I reapply after a rejection?
Yes, after 30 days on a first rejection, with original content. After later rejections, the wait is 90 days.
Do I need AdSense?
Yes. You must link one active AdSense for YouTube account, which you can set up in YouTube Studio.
