Minors under the age of 18 can't sign up for their own Adsense account, even if you can have your own YouTube Channel (YouTube's age requirement is 13 I believe). This becomes a problem when the minor tries to sign up themselves and AdSense rejects their application. Instructions given in some areas simply tell the minor to have a parent sign up for them. But don't explain exactly how to do that.
What you can't do is resubmit your application through your YouTube Channel by changing the email address from your own, to one of your parent's email addresses. That will get you rejected again. You also can't directly submit an application for AdSense with one of your own email accounts and put your parent's name on the application form.
The steps to sign up for an AdSense account need to be taken separately by the parent. The parent needs their own Google Account/Email address in their name. And the parent will also need to have a website, or blog (Blogger.com), or YouTube Channel (in their name, not in your name) to apply with. Once the parent has an approved AdSense account, it can be linked to your YouTube Channel.
However, in some cases, the parent doesn't have a website or blog, or even a monetizable YouTube Channel, so in effect, there isn't any way for the parent to apply for Adsense for the minor.
The simplest thing for a parent to do is to create a YouTube Channel under their own name. Their YouTube Channel doesn't need a lot of videos to qualify for monetization. Once they create a YouTube Channel, the parent can upload one video (or have their child upload the video for them) and wait for YouTube to enable the Channel for monetization. Once it's enabled, the parent can apply for Adsense through the Channel's monetize tab (on the monetize page, the parent will need to look for and click the link that says "how do I get paid" to get the Adsense application). Once the parent's account is approved, the minor can link it to their own channel, following instructions to do so on YouTube.
If you are a minor who is hoping or planning to get a full Partnership someday on YouTube and are working towards monetizing your videos, you need to plan ahead a little, in order to make this process simpler, and trouble-free.
Make sure you are aware of the content requirements for monetized videos, particularly if you use visuals from gameplay in your videos.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR MONETIZING
- Sit down with your parent(s) or legal guardian at the computer and explain the monetizing process to them - especially if they aren't very familiar with the web.
- Explain why you can't sign up yourself for AdSense, and why you'd like your parent to sign up for you.
- Go to the AdSense Help Center and read through the AdSense Program Policies and Terms and Conditions with your parent. This part is important, because it will be your parent who is the party owning the AdSense account, and they should be aware of the requirements. The parent's name will be the "payee name" in the AdSense account, and the parent will be responsible for collecting the earnings, and for paying any taxes due on the earnings (no, I'm sorry I can't help you with tax requirements for whatever country you live in). And because they will be responsible for that, they should understand the requirements. YOU should understand the requirements in the Terms and Conditions as well, because you will still be responsible for following them since the account will be monetizing your channel.
- Next, if your parent doesn't have a Google Account, help them sign up for one. If they don't have an email address, have them sign up for a gmail account.
- Then take your parent to YouTube and have them set up a YouTube Channel under their own name. Even if they don't plan to use it. This YouTube Channel will be the way you submit an application for AdSense. If your parent has no interest in making their own videos, create one or two videos yourself - make sure their contents are suitable for monetizing. Upload those videos to your parent's YouTube channel.
Once the parent's channel is enabled for monetizing by YouTube, the application for Adsense is made directly through the parent's channel with the parent's email address. That means either you, or your parent will need to login to their Google Account, and their YouTube Channel and submit the AdSense application directly through their channel.
Preparing this in advance (before trying to monetize your own videos) will mean a lot less hassle and aggravation, and less problems in trying to get your own channel monetized.
With a parent's channel already monetized and approved by AdSense, you can now simply link your own YouTube Channel to your parent's AdSense account.
This solution seems to me a lot simpler than trying to make a suitable website or blog for your parent, particularly since the requirements for using Adsense on a blog or website require a lot of written articles (original articles, not copied from somewhere else), and in some cases, a wait of six months before it would be approved.
A FINAL WORD
Keep in mind that when a parent monetizes your channel, you should also take the time to find out the best options for safe-guarding both your Channel, and the AdSense account against invalid activity. It can happen to anyone - even on a YouTube Channel, so be sure you use the tracking options available to you.
Hello Gracey nice blog that you are running. I was thinking of that why not TC's try to tell people about adsense before they get their account disabled but it is good to see you are doing it.
ReplyDeleteALi
so if i earn money through youtube, i have to pay more taxes?
ReplyDeleteI don't know what you mean by "more taxes". In most countries you are required to pay taxes on money you earn, so in that regard if you earn money from advertising in YouTube videos, you'd need to claim that income on your yearly tax forms.
ReplyDeleteIt's up to publishers to consult with tax professionals in their own country to find out what the requirements for taxes are.
Nice article. I have a question though: what is the benefit of connecting my YouTube channel to an AdSense account? I have a website (with Adsense) and a youtube channel (monetized under a different email) that are both making (albeit not that much) some revenue. Should I connect them? Thanks
ReplyDelete@Anonymous - well I would assume both your website and and your YouTube channel are connected to your Adsense account if both are making money.
ReplyDeleteYou can only have one Adsense account.
If your YouTube Channel is NOT connected to your Adsense account, then you actually aren't going to get any earnings - you only begin to actually receive any earnings from a monetized channel when it is connected to your Adsense account.
Unless you are being partnered by one of the large networks on YouTube instead, in which case you can't connect your channel to your Adsense account.
If you aren't sure if your channel is connected or not, you should ask for help in the AdSense help forum.
Hey :-)
ReplyDeleteRight now I have ads on most of my videos, I'm under 18 but i don't have connected with google adsense. When I become 18, and make a adsense account and connect it with my channel - do I then get all the Money from the years??
If you understand what I mean?? :-)
Please answer - and sorry for the bad English :-(
Well, if you wait until you are 18 and have monetized your videos before that, I'm afraid that you actually don't earn the amount that you see in YouTube Analytics. Adsense can't pay for anything that's earned before you actually have an approved AdSense account connected to your YouTube Channel.
DeleteYouTube may decide to offer you a one-bonus amount, but whether they do or not is totally up to YouTube.
So you really only have two choices - don't monetize your videos until you are 18 and can get approved for Adsense, or have one of your parents sign up for AdSense, and then you can link your channel to your parent's Adsense account.
When you turn 18, then you can sign up for an Adsense account in your own name and link your channel to it, instead of to your parent's AdSense account.
I am under 18 and I don't have an ad sense account but I have monetized the videos. I understand that I will not receive earnings on any videos until I link my you tube channel to ad sense. But once I turn 18 and once I link my channel to ad sense will I get paid for the videos which I have monetize before I turned 18?? I mean will I earn on the videos which I have monetized before I turned 18??
DeleteNo, I'm afraid not. Adsense only pays you for earnings from the time you have an approved Adsense account linked to your channel.
DeleteYouTube might choose to offer you a one-time bonus for previous monetization, but that's entirely up to YouTube.
I have a youtube account linked to an adsense account I created with $100 + revenue just sitting. However I have not taken it out since I do not have a EIN/TIN number and it did not allow my SSN number. I am under the age of 18 would there be any way for my parents to help me receive that money into my bank account?
DeleteYour parent has to sign up for an Adsense account since you aren't allowed to have one. The payments would be issued to a parent, but if you already have an AdSense account in your name, you may never be able to collect that money.
DeleteYou really make it seem really easy along with your presentation but I in finding this topic to be actually something which I believe I might by no means
ReplyDeleteunderstand. It seems too complicated and extremely extensive for me. I’m taking a look ahead in your subsequent publish, I’ll attempt to get the cling of it!
If I am 17 and I start monetizing videos, but don't have an AdSense account, will it accumulate for when I DO turn 18?
ReplyDelete@Anlnymous - AdSense won't pay you for anything prior to the time you have an active and approved AdSense account linked to your YouTube Channel. AdSense would only begin paying for the earnings after you are approved.
DeleteYouTube may choose to offer you a one-time bonus for part of the earnings prior to linking to Adsense, but that would be up to YouTube, and it normally wouldn't be the whole amount.
I don't usually recommend that people monetize their contents until such time as they are eligible and approved by Adsense.
If I put a hold on my payments, do I still need to pay taxes on the money that is built up in the account?
ReplyDeleteUntil you actually receive the money in payment, you shouldn't have to pay taxes on it, but this is really not something Adsense would offer help with. Tax requirements in each country may be different and they recommend you ask a n experienced tax preparer in your own area for help.
DeleteI have made a music using magix music maker 2013 premium and uploaded it to youtube. But it says 3rd party content matched.
ReplyDelete"Fernando Cavalier-Spinning", sound recording administered by:
ONErpm
What should i do. I searched for the music and found that its quite similar but not exact.
My video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6IzUxivr3A
3rd party Music:http://www.amazon.de/Spinning/dp/B00B2GEGME/ref=sr_1_21?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1395827727&sr=1-21&keywords=Fernando+Cavalier
This really doesn't have much to do with how a minor has to apply for Adsense through YouTube.
DeleteThere really isn't anything I can do when it comes to YouTube. I'm not a TC there. You need to ask for help in the YouTube Monetization forums. People who have experienced a similar problem will be able to assist you there.
Link to forums: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#%21forum/monetization-on-youtube
Hello B 4 BEATS, I suggest you either take down the video or talk to YouTube about it. That way you have no legal issues to deal with.
DeleteHello there, if I connect my ad sense account too youtube without using it or offering ad sense any money would I still be paying taxes? (Norway) And also if I connect my ad sense too my youtube link without offering / doinga anything would I still be paying taxes? (Norway) Regards anonymous.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have no idea what the tax situation is in Norway, but unless you actually receive payments (ie: either by check or to your bank account), then you normally aren't required to pay taxes on earnings you haven't actually received.
DeleteYou'd have to ask a tax expert in Norway to confirm that.
If I set one up through my parents account can I relink my channel with my own adsense account when I turn 18?
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for being late with this reply, but yes indeed. You can certainly open your own account when you turn 18, and then relink your channel to your own account instead of your parent's account.
DeleteSo if I do connect with my parents account do I still get the money even if they only post one video on their account and stop uploading? Also does YouTube send checks in the mail or how does that work? And finally is it easy to change accounts so I have my own account with ad-sense?
ReplyDeleteWith monetization enable, until I make an adsense account, will my money just sit there until I do? Or will money not start developing until I make the account?
ReplyDeleteAbout ten mins before i read this i put in an application and i am under 18
ReplyDeleteDo you know how i can cancel the application?
Hello im 17 and i wanted to ask if i will get paid and if so by when? Ive earned almost 200$...and look i know minors dont get paid but im not sure what my age is on my gmail account and I also received a mail from google adsense to confirm my address so does that mean its ready to go? Or anyone can get that mail to confirm their address for google adsense regardless of age?
ReplyDeleteTo JD Gamer, Matty Naky, and Cursed with Curls:
ReplyDeleteThe answer really is, I don't know for sure. If you signed up for AdSense without be 18, that's a problem because if they discover you are not 18, your account could be disabled.
If you don't sign up for adsense, but monetize your videos anyways, then you would accrue earnings on youtube, but adsense would not pay you for those.
YouTube might choose to offer a one-time bonus payment for part of those earnings when you do finally sign up, but if they do or how much they give you isn't something you'd know in advance. Several publishers have reported their bonus payment was quite a lot less than the actual earnings shown on youtube.
If you have a parent sign up before you are 18, you can still sign up for your own account after you are 18, and then switch your channel to link with your own account instead of your parent's account. This would be the best way to collect your earnings up until you reach 18.
hi gracey,
ReplyDeletewhen iam signing up for monetization on my youtube channel, it asks to choose your country and when i click that, there is no option of choosing the country in advanced tab of channel settings of youtube. please help
without changing the country, it is not allowing me to monetize the channel.
You aren't allowed to change the country if you live in a country where YouTube isn't allowed.
DeleteThe country must be the country where you live when signing up for Adsense as well, because once approved, you can't change the country in your Adsense account.
If you can't change the country in AdSense, you wouldn't be able to receive your payments from YouTube since you can only receive your payments and your PIN at the address in your Adsense account.
So, for example if you live in Pakistan, and you signed up with USA as the country, that's the country you have to receive your payment in. It can't be changed, and AdSense won't issue payments if you don't live where your account says you live.
According to YouTube, if you live in Turkey, Russia or the Ukraine, you have to apply to the partner program first to get monetization enabled. There's a link on this page:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72857?hl=en&ref_topic=12633
This page on YouTube's help shows the countries that can use monetization:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1342206?hl=en
If your country isn't on the list, you won't be able to sign up through YouTube, and if you already have an AdSense account, you won't be able to link your channel to your AdSense account.
So if I sign up with my parents who would be making the money? Would the money go into my parents bank account or what?
ReplyDeleteAlthough you'd be "making" the money, the payments are made in your parent's name, and would be deposited to your parent's bank account. That means your parent would also be responsible for any income taxes due on the earnings.
DeleteSorry if it already has been addressed, but I need to clarify something.
ReplyDeleteSo basically if you are under 18 and have your parents link their adsense account to your channel, once you turn 18 will you be able to create and link your own adsense account to obtain the earnings? So you would be able to transition the earnings from your parents accounts to your own adsense account? Thanks again.
Yes, you'd create your own Adsense account after turning 18, but any earnings currently in your parent's account would not be transferred to your AdSense account.
DeleteYour parent can choose to cancel the account once you have linked your own approved account to your channel, and the earnings in the AdSense account (even if under the payment threshold) would be issued within 90 days.
Anything earned after you connect your own account to your channel would show up in your own adsense account.
Hello Gracey,
ReplyDeleteI am 17 and I have created an Adsense account and linked it to my Youtube channel, however I didn't know (at the time I set them up) anything about minors needing their parents to create the Adsense account. On my Adsense it says there is money on hold, however actions (entering payment/tax info and such) are required for me to receive the money. Can I just enter one of my parent's info and have the money go to them (even though I set up the Adsense myself) or will that be a problem?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Chance, thanks for your question.
DeleteI'm afraid you can't enter your parent's information. The AdSense account is in your name, therefore all the information entered must be yours, and not that of someone else's. And publishers aren't allowed to change the account ownership of an AdSense account, so you can't put your parent's name as the account owner either.
At this point, I don't really know what you can do. If AdSense discovers you aren't 18, they are likely to disable your account and you wouldn't be able to use AdSense again.
If you try to cancel your account, you may not be able to since you still have payment holds that you can't remove while you are 17, and even if you could remove them, you'd likely lose the earnings because they can't pay them out to someone under 18. Entering tax information and banking info would mean your age would be verified (at 17) as well.
How long is it until you are 18? When you sign up for AdSense, it does ask you to verify that you are over 18 so I don't know how you managed to sign up unless you chose to verify a wrong age. It's also part of the terms of use that you must agree to when signing up, so I assume you didn't actually read those when agreeing to them.
You seem to be stuck in a spot where at the moment, you can't do anything without causing your account to be disabled. The only thing I can think of as a remote possibility is to wait until you are 18 to enter all of that information, but whether this would be acceptable to AdSense or not is rather a gray area.
Hello Gracey,
DeleteThank you so much for the response. I had been unable to find any comprehensive answers until you told me this! It will be a year until I am 18 so I suppose I will just wait until then, and see what happens. :(
On the other hand, is it possible for my parents to create a brand new Adsense account and connect that to my channel so the money will stop going to that "gray area" Adsense account (in case it won't work, I don't want to lose any more money over the next year).
Thanks!!
[EDIT] Actually I believe I signed up for Adsense through my Youtube account, where it does not ask your age or say that an adult needs to do it (I just tried it with a completely unrelated Youtube account). So basically does this mean that the Youtube account needed to be owned by my parents as well? And also in my Adsense account, is the "Billing ID" the only thing that matters as far as ownership? Because the "payee name" can be edited (also I can remove my savings account from the "payment methods"), but not the Billing ID. I know this is a lot of questions but I really do appreciate the help.
DeleteNo, your channel doesn't need to be owned by a parent. Have your parent open their own channel. At most, they need to upload one video. They can apply for AdSense through their own channel with their own Google account and their own email address.
DeleteOnce it's approved, they can link your channel to their adsense account using the monetization tab on your channel. You can change the adsense settings from your channel, so you can switch the adsense account that's connected to your channel to the one your parent opens.
No, billing ID isn't the only one that matters. You cannot change the payee name in an Adsense account since that constitutes an account transfer, and account transfers aren't allowed by AdSense.
Alright. Thanks for all the help!
DeleteHello,
DeleteI attempted to have my parent set up an Adsense account, but received an email stating that the account has been rejected due to "account information match[ing] a currently approved AdSense account" (mine). I assume they mean the billing address...is there any way around this, or should I just free up the address by shutting down my old account? Thanks!!!
Sorry for the late reply Chance. So when your parent tried to set up the AdSense account for you I assume they used your channel? Has either of your parents ever had an AdSense account of their own at some point in the past? Or applied ever? If so, it could mean there is an old application with their name and address on it.
DeleteIn most countries now AdSense only allows one account per household address, although at this stage they haven't provided a list of countries where this is effective now.
When do you turn 18?
I turn 18 in April, but I think I want to go ahead and close the old account. I just want to be sure that if I close the old account with the matching address, will I be able to use the address for a new account? Is it one account per household at a time, or once a household has had an account is it prohibited from having another forever? Sorry for responding late, got buried in school emails :(
DeleteThanks!!
You should be able to reapply later on using your own address. It's one account at a time per household. So that means you can reapply later on for a new account. Keep in mind when you apply for a new AdSense account, you do need to use a new Google Account, and a new email address.
DeleteThanks Gracey! Also do you know if there is a cooldown period (e.g. you can't close the first account and then open the new one the same day)?
DeleteHello,i've been thinking a lot lately,so here's the question what if i'm in a different country but i'm using available countries that have monetization feature becuz my country does not provide this feature,can i still get paid???If so how???
ReplyDeleteIf your Adsense account is not showing the address where you live, you won't be able to receive a payment. Payments are issued based on the country of your AdSense account.
DeleteSo, if you live in Australia and your Adsense account says you live in Canada you have no way to link a bank account in Canada, nor cash a check received at an address in Canada.
Your Adsense account must have the address account where you live in order to collect any payments. If your YouTube channel's address doesn't match the address in your address account ... I don't know if you'll be paid or not.
If I use my mom's Adsense on my YouTube can I make a new Adsense through youtube and use it once I turn 18? So my adsense won't be in my mother's name.
ReplyDeleteYes, you can apply for your own account once you are 18 and use it to monetize your channels.
DeleteSo Your Saying that even tho I'm under 18 I can still Make Money From my videos
ReplyDeleteIf a parent signs up for you, then yes, you can still earn from your channel.
DeleteOk so if im 15 and want to start trying to make money off YouTube would my parents have to pay taxes?? Im really confused...
ReplyDeleteSince you can't sign up for an AdSense account yourself, then a parent has to sign up for AdSense. That means the parent's name is the payee name - they receive the funds. If they receive the payment, then they would be required to include it as earnings in their yearly income tax reports. How that's done will depend on the country where you live, but your parents should know how taxes work already. If they don't they should speak with a tax preparer, or whoever does their income tax forms each year.
DeleteI have a YouTube account with AdSense account also, but i dont have credit/debit card, i only have savings account, how will I get paid and put it through my savings account ?
ReplyDeleteHi aditay - if your bank allows transfers (like EFT or Wire Transfer) into your savings account, then yes, you'd use that. In fact, you can't receive AdSense payments to a credit or debit card, only to a bank account.
DeleteI'll be 18 in a couple years and want to know if i can monetize my videos by myself using my account later on? Basically having a completely independent channel from my parents?
ReplyDeleteYes, once you are 18 you can apply for your own account and monetize your channel with it, instead of your parent's monetizing your channel.
DeleteSo gracey im 17 i want to monetize my vids so does that mean my guardian has to pay taxes? USA
ReplyDeleteYes, if your guardian is in the USA then the earnings would be earned under the guardian's name, and they would be responsible for claiming those earnings on their yearly income tax reports. That means they'd also be responsible for paying any associated income tax on those earnings.
Deletehi gracey i'm 16 what network is the best except on adsense i canrt make adsense i don't want to tell my parents that i make youtube videos.thanks
ReplyDeleteI really don't know which network would even take someone under 18. Some of the MCNs require you to have an active AdSense account, and most of the main networks want you to sign a contract (which a minor can't do).
DeleteI think your best option would be to ask other YouTubers since anyone who has used MCNs would have an opinion on which to avoid and which are best. You would then have to read the networks requirements and terms to see if they require a contract, or email the network and ask if they sign up minors without parental consent.
What if I'm under 18, and my parents get an adsense account and link it to my YouTube all has been done, when I turn 18, how do I change who gets the money from my parents to myself?
ReplyDeleteIf you ready any of my post, you'd already have the answer.
DeleteYou can't change it. You need to open your own AdSense account and link it to your channel.
Will it work if I'm under 18 but have a savings account.
ReplyDeleteIf you are under 18 it doesn't matter what type of bank account you have. You can't have an AdSense account in your own name. AdSense publishers have to be 18 or over to apply for AdSense.
DeleteHow exactly can I link my parent's adsense account to my youtube channel? I tried following the directions on youtube but that doesn't work. When my parents try to add my youtube channel's website onto their adsense account, it says the domain must not contain youtube.com. Do you have any idea how I can solve this?
ReplyDeleteYou have to login to your YouTube channel using your login.
DeleteThen go to the monetization tab. Look for "how will I be paid". Click that.
When the signup for AdSense page comes up, you don't want to click "yes use this account". You want to click "use a new or different account". When you click that it will ask for the AdSense account information that you want to connect your channel to.
Have your parent complete that information using their AdSense account information.
Your parent doesn't connect it through their AdSense account, it gets connected through the monetization tab.
Do you put your debit card or credit card or do your parents but there debit card or credit card
ReplyDeleteYour parent would need to use their bank account number if the AdSense account is in your parent's name.
DeleteHow can I get the money when my parent gets the check
ReplyDeleteIf the payment method in your account is check, then when your parent deposits the check (which would come in their name) to their bank account, I guess you ask them to give you the money from the check.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteMy mom has an approved adsense account that is linked to her own website. Can this also be used to link to my Youtube account?
Thanks!
Hi again Chance :)
DeleteYes, if your mom has an approved AdSense account you can link your channel to her AdSense account by linking it through the monetization tab on your channel, as long as your monetization tab is enabled.
OMG i need your help badly :( how do i link my YouTube Channel to my parent's AdSense account. she has everything set i just need to link but i dont know how to link it to my youtube channel :(
ReplyDeleteSign in to your channel and go to the monetization tab. Look for "how will I be paid" (or similar wording) and click that. When it asks if you want to use your current account, or a new/different account, choose new/different account and then have your mother provide her information. All these steps are already given in the article if you read it.
DeleteHey, how do I apply for an account that has recently been rejected. I just signed my mom up, and uploaded a video. Currently waiting to monetize it. What do I do after her Adsense Account is approved?
ReplyDeleteYou've asked 2 different questions - did you apply for your own account and were rejected because you're under 18? If so, the monetization tab on your YouTube channel might be disabled. If it is, it should just be temporary.
DeleteIf your mom's account is approved you would link your channel to hers through the monetization tab on your channel as soon as it becomes available to use again.
When it is, from your channel's monetization tab where it asks you to use your current account or a new/different one, choose new/different one and when it asks for the information, you'd need to supply the information for your mom's account.