YouTube raises monetisation requirements for new creators from 2027

YouTube has announced stricter eligibility criteria for creators joining its Partner Program to earn advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, with the new rules set to take effect on 1 February 2027. Under the revised guidelines, creators must either log 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or garner 20 million qualified Shorts views within a six-month span to be eligible.

These updated thresholds apply solely to creators joining the program after the changes take effect and will not impact existing members. YouTube's decision stems from the platform's continued growth, recording over 200 billion daily views of Shorts and one billion hours of television viewing daily. This marks the first substantial update to the Partner Program's eligibility requirements since 2018.

Creators will also need to maintain a minimum of 10 million Shorts views in a 90-day period to continue earning revenue from the Shorts Creator Revenue Pool; channels below this threshold will retain Partner Program status and earn from long-form videos, with Shorts monetisation restarting once the required viewing threshold is achieved.

The company reassured that eligibility requirements for Fan Funding and shopping features will remain unchanged, and anticipates paying creators more in 2027 than in 2026.