YouTube Monetization Requirements in 2027: 8,000 Hours or 20M Shorts Views
Monetization · 7 min read
By YT Toolkit Editorial Team · Published
Short answer:from 1 February 2027, new applicants need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours from public long-form videos in the last 365 days or 20 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days to enter YouTube's ads and Premium revenue tier.
This is a future rule change, not a rumour. YouTube's announcement says the new entry thresholds apply to new creators from that date. A channel already in the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) does not lose its status because of this threshold update.
The 2027 YPP entry paths
| Requirement | Long-form route | Shorts route |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Performance metric | 8,000 qualified watch hours | 20M qualified Shorts views |
| Measurement window | Last 365 days | Last 90 days |
You choose one performance route, not both. Subscriber growth is still required whichever route you pursue. Passing a number also is not automatic approval: YouTube reviews channels against its program policies.
What is not changing
The earlier-access thresholds for fan funding, Creator Partnerships, and YouTube Shopping remain at 500 subscribers plus either 3,000 qualified watch hours in the last year or 3 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. That milestone can be useful, but it is not the same thing as the ads and Premium entry tier.
If your channel is already monetized, the action item is different: review and accept the updated terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027 to keep earning from the affected monetization features. The threshold change itself does not remove an existing YPP channel.
Plan using the right number
Do not use an all-time view count as a proxy for YPP progress. The targets use moving windows, so open YouTube Studio's Earn area for the qualified values, then put those values into the YouTube Monetization Progress Calculator. It shows your gap under the current rules and the rules that begin in February 2027.
Long-form creators can also use the Watch Time Calculator to model a realistic view-duration scenario. Shorts-first channels should work backward from the 90-day window: 20M views means a sustained pace, not one lucky upload.
Related reading: current vs 2027 YPP requirements and what counts as a qualified watch hour.
Official source and update date
Last verified 18 September 2026 against YouTube's YPP change announcement. YouTube's policies and availability can change, so treat Studio's Earn tab as the final eligibility view for your channel.