YouTube Monetization Requirements in India (2026): Full Checklist

Getting monetised on YouTube is the goal for most Indian channels. Here's the checklist, plus the reasons channels get rejected.

The two YPP tiers

YouTube has two levels of the Partner Programme. Requirements below are the published thresholds at the time of writing — always double-check in YouTube Studio's Earn tab.

Fan funding tier (lower)

• 500 subscribers
• 3 public uploads in the last 90 days
• And either 3,000 public watch hours in 12 months or 3 million public Shorts views in 90 days

Unlocks: channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks, Super Stickers, Shopping.

Full YPP (ad revenue)

• 1,000 subscribers
• And either 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days

Unlocks: ad revenue sharing on long videos and Shorts.

Other requirements

• Live in an eligible country (India is eligible)
• Follow YouTube's monetisation policies
• No active Community Guidelines strikes
• Two-step verification on your Google account
• An AdSense account linked (one per person)

Why channels get rejected

1. Reused content — compilations, re-uploads, slideshows with no commentary.
2. Repetitive content — near-identical videos with small changes.
3. Unclear ownership of music, clips or footage.
4. Mostly AI voice-over over stock footage with little original value.

If you're rejected, you can usually reapply after 30 days. Fix the issues first.

Getting to the numbers faster

• Watch hours: long-form videos (10–20 minutes) and live streams build hours much faster than short videos. Watch-time services like our 4000 hours watch time add hours to a long public video.
• Subscribers: end screens, pinned comments and Shorts that tease long videos. If you're close to 1,000, non-drop subscribers with a lifetime guarantee close the gap.

Whatever you do, the review is manual — the channel itself has to be original and policy-compliant.