YouTube to raise YouTube Partner Program eligibility thresholds in February 2027

YouTube announced it will raise the eligibility thresholds for its Partner Program beginning Feb. 1, 2027. Under the new rules, creators must meet three benchmarks to join: 8,000 hours of watch time over the past 365 days, 20 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days, and 1,000 subscribers. The company said the updated requirements will not affect the earnings of creators already enrolled in the program, but all creators will be required to accept the revised terms. YouTube stated that the higher thresholds will allow the platform to invest in new incentive programs and business models aimed at creators of different sizes. Separately, YouTube said it plans to expand its Premium Lite tier to all markets where the standard Premium service is available, without specifying a launch timeline. The company disclosed that net revenue from Premium Lite subscriptions will be allocated to the creator revenue pool at a 60% rate, while net revenue from standard Premium viewing will remain at 30%. Citing 2026 performance data, the platform said revenue from Premium subscribers was, on average, higher than revenue generated from advertising.