Quick answer
Sign in to AdSense for YouTube > Payments. Check: your balance reached the payment threshold (US$100; £60; €70; C$100; A$100) by the 20th; you’ve verified your identity and address (PIN); you’ve submitted tax info and added a payment method; and there’s no hold alert. Changes made after the 20th count for the next month. Bank transfers can take up to 7 business days after the 21st–26th.
Does this match what you see?
- Your YouTube earnings show in Analytics, but no payment arrived.
- Your balance rolled over to next month.
- The AdSense PIN letter never arrived.
- There’s a red hold alert in AdSense for YouTube.
- Your earnings dropped or were deducted.
Computer (browser)
Based on ten YouTube Help pages about getting paid, read at the site owner’s request on November 6, 2026. Amounts and dates are YouTube’s; check AdSense for YouTube for your account’s currency.
Why this happens: the possible causes
Why a payment doesn’t arrive, in the order to check.
| Check | Where |
|---|---|
| Balance reached the payment threshold by the 20th | AdSense for YouTube > Payments |
| Identity verified, address PIN entered | Payments > Verification check |
| Tax info submitted and approved | Payments > tax info |
| Payment method added | Payments > payment methods |
| No hold alert | Payments page and Google payments center |
- Threshold not reachedCheck this first
YouTube says if your balance hasn’t reached the payment threshold by the 20th, it rolls over to the next month.
- Verification not finishedCheck this first
YouTube says you must verify your identity and address (by PIN) once your earnings reach the verification threshold.
- Payment holdCheck this first
Missing tax info, an unverified identity or address, no payment method, a self-hold, or a policy or protection review can all hold payments.
- Invalid trafficPossible
YouTube says earnings from invalid traffic can be withheld, adjusted or offset, and payments delayed up to 90 days while it investigates.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Sign in to AdSense for YouTube and open Payments.
- Look for a red alert on the Payments page.
- Check today’s date against the 20th cutoff.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Check where you are in the monthly cycle
YouTube pays on a fixed monthly timeline and says it can’t pay early for any reason.
- 7th–12th: last month’s estimated earnings are finalized and posted. YouTube says they may be adjusted for invalid traffic, copyright claims and disputes, some ad campaign types, and taxes on earnings from US viewers.
- 20th: your balance must reach the payment threshold. Any changes, including removing a hold, must be done on or before the 20th, or they count for next month.
- 21st–26th: payment is issued and Payment pending appears. If the 21st is a weekend or holiday, it may be the next business day.
Missing payments on the Transactions page? YouTube says it shows the last three months by default; choose All time.
Did it work? You know which step of the cycle you’re in.
Did Fix 1 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 1. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Fix 2: Reach the payment thresholds
YouTube lists five revenue thresholds, and the amounts depend on your account’s currency.
- Tax info: every YPP creator must submit it, wherever they live. YouTube says without it, Google may be required to deduct up to 24% of your total worldwide earnings.
- Verification: at about US$10 equivalent, verify your identity and address.
- Payment method: at the selection threshold (US$10; £10; €10; C$10; A$15; NZ$15), choose how to be paid.
- Payment: paid once your balance reaches the threshold and there are no holds: US$100, £60, €70, C$100, A$100, NZ$130.
- Cancellation: if you close the account with more than the cancellation threshold, YouTube says the final payment arrives within about 90 days after the end of that month, if there are no holds and all payment steps are done.
Have separate AdSense and AdSense for YouTube payment accounts? YouTube says each must reach the threshold on its own. You can’t change your payment currency.
Did it work? Your balance is over the threshold and every setup step is done.
Did Fix 2 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 2. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Fix 3: PIN didn’t arrive? Fix address verification
YouTube says you must verify your payments address with a 6-digit PIN sent by mail, and it only sends the PIN after you verify your identity.
- Verify your identity first: Payments > Verification check. YouTube says the PIN is only sent after identity verification.
- Wait for the letter: PINs travel by standard international mail. YouTube says they usually arrive in 2 to 4 weeks.
- Check your payments address: it must match the country you signed up with, be able to receive standard mail, and ideally use local-language characters. Ask your post office whether mail is being held or forwarded. Only payments admin users can change it.
- Request a replacement after 3 weeks: Payments > Verification check > Resend PIN. You can do this once every 3 weeks; the replacement is a duplicate, so use whichever arrives first.
- After a 4th replacement still doesn’t arrive within 3 weeks, YouTube says to use its PIN troubleshooter.
YouTube says entering the PIN wrong 3 times fails verification and stops ads; request a replacement to reset it. After 4 months without address verification, ads stop showing. If the page shows an address mismatch, the PIN probably went to your old address: request a replacement after 3 weeks.
Did it work? You enter the PIN and your address shows as verified.
Did Fix 3 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 3. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Clear a payment hold
YouTube says a hold isn’t removed until the cause is fixed. Look for an alert on the Payments page, then:
| Hold | Fix |
|---|---|
| Tax info missing | Submit it and check the status is approved |
| Identity not verified | Submit the requested documents |
| Address not verified | Enter your mailed PIN (help) |
| No payment method | Add one once you pass the selection threshold |
| Self-hold | Remove the hold you placed yourself |
| Compliance hold | Click the alert in your Google payments center, or reply to the Google Payments email within 5 business days |
| Policy or invalid-activity review | No action; removed automatically if your account complies |
| Protection hold | No action unless Google asks you to verify; up to 35 days, funds released within 5–7 days of clearance or with your next payment |
YouTube says the payments team may ask for details such as date of birth, nationality and ID or proof of address, because a bank may require it. If you see a red hold alert but got no email, YouTube says to contact Google with the button in the notification. Only reply to emails from a Google address, and remember Google will never ask for your bank account details. Fixed the cause but still on hold? YouTube says to contact support.
Our tip: YouTube suggests submitting tax info when you create the account and reviewing it every year, and keeping your contact info current.
Payment issued but not in your account
| Method | Allow |
|---|---|
| Bank transfer (EFT) | Up to 7 business days |
| Wire transfer | Up to 15 business days |
| Hyperwallet | 1–2 days |
| Check | 2–4 weeks; no tracking number |
- EFT sent to a closed bank account: YouTube says it’s returned automatically within a few days and reissued to your new verified account; about a week in total.
- Check never arrived: wait 60 days from issue, then Payments > Payments info > Transactions, and click Reissue payment if it hasn’t been cashed. Wrong address? Update payee information first.
AdSense for YouTube account deactivated or closed
Deactivated
YouTube says accounts are deactivated after 6 months if setup or the channel link wasn’t finished, or with no ad activity or earnings (with a warning email at 5 months). It doesn’t affect your channel. To reactivate: link the account to your channel, sign in to AdSense for YouTube, and verify your phone number. If you already verified your address by PIN, you don’t need to again.
Closed for policy reasons
YouTube says closure follows repeated violations, deceptive behavior or egregious content violations, and you can’t open a new account. You may get a final payment for valid revenue after a 30-day hold: then sign in to see your balance. Appeals use the account-closed appeal form and can only be made 90 days or more after your last appeal was resolved. YouTube says decisions are typically final.
Earnings deducted, or account disabled, for invalid traffic
YouTube says invalid traffic is activity that doesn’t come from real, genuinely interested viewers, such as traffic-boosting services or asking viewers to click ads. Advertisers aren’t charged (or are refunded), so those earnings are withheld, adjusted or offset, payments can be delayed up to 90 days, and ads may be temporarily limited. Editing, deleting or unlisting videos won’t recover them. Embedding, the Promotions tab and mid-rolls don’t cause invalid traffic.
Account disabled for invalid traffic? You can’t open a new one. If it was a mistake, submit an invalid activity appeal: include the email of the disabled account, explain likely causes (for example a third-party traffic service you’ve stopped using) and how you’ll prevent it. Reinstatement isn’t guaranteed. A final payment for valid earnings may follow a 30-day hold; after reinstatement, ads can take 48 hours to return.
A yellow $ icon is different: YouTube says that comes from the advertiser-friendly guidelines. See YouTube monetization problems.
How to know it worked
- Payment pending appears between the 21st and 26th, and the money arrives within your method’s time frame.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Monetization paused or rejected? See YouTube monetization problems. Channel hacked? See YouTube channel hacked.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
- YouTube Help: AdSense for YouTube payment processYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: revenue thresholds for paymentYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: fix AdSense address verification (PIN) problemsYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: request a replacement PINYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: fix a payment holdYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: AdSense for YouTube account deactivatedYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: invalid traffic on your videosYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: AdSense disabled for invalid trafficYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
- YouTube Help: AdSense account closed for policy reasonsYouTube Help (external site, opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
When does YouTube pay?
YouTube says earnings are finalized between the 7th and 12th, and payment is issued between the 21st and 26th if your balance reached the threshold by the 20th.
What is the YouTube payment threshold?
YouTube lists US$100, £60, €70, C$100, A$100 and NZ$130, among others. Below that, your balance rolls over.
Why haven’t I received my AdSense PIN?
YouTube says the PIN is only sent after identity verification, takes 2 to 4 weeks by mail, and needs an address that receives standard mail. Request a replacement after 3 weeks.
Can YouTube pay me early?
No. YouTube says payments can’t be issued outside the standard timeline for any reason.
Why were my YouTube earnings deducted?
YouTube lists adjustments for invalid traffic, copyright claims and disputes, some ad campaign types, and taxes. YouTube shows deductions on the AdSense for YouTube Payments page.
Does a deactivated AdSense account affect my channel?
No. YouTube says it doesn’t affect your channel; relink and verify your phone to reactivate.
Did this solve your problem?
Your answer stays in your browser — nothing is sent or stored. The “tell us” link opens your own email app.
Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Understand AdSense for YouTube’s payment process (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Meet YouTube’s revenue thresholds for payment (external site, opens in a new tab)
- When will I get paid? (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Fix problems with AdSense address verification (PIN) (external site, opens in a new tab)
- How to request a replacement PIN (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Fix a payment hold on your AdSense for YouTube account (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Your AdSense for YouTube account was deactivated (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Invalid traffic on your videos (external site, opens in a new tab)
- My AdSense for YouTube account was disabled for invalid traffic (external site, opens in a new tab)
- AdSense account closed by Google for policy reasons (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 6 November 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 6 February 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 6 November 2026: First published.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google or YouTube. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.