AdSense drops its identity verification threshold to $0

Google AdSense has changed when it asks publishers to prove who they are. Barry Schwartz reported on 23 September 2026 that the identity verification threshold dropped from $10 to $0, and Google’s AdSense help page carries the same wording.

What changed#

Identity verification now comes first. Google’s help page says: “You must verify your identity before your account can start showing ads and receiving payments.” Previously the identity check waited until an account reached $10.

Address verification did not move. That threshold stays at $10, or the local equivalent, so the two checks are no longer triggered at the same point.

Shared payments accounts verify once. If you hold separate payments accounts for AdSense and YouTube, the help page says you verify when either reaches the threshold, and only once.

What the ID check involves#

Google’s account setup page spells out the process. You need “a current government-issued photo ID”, and depending on your location you may also be asked to take a video selfie. If you would rather not use that flow, you can opt out and request a manual review, which Google says takes 2 to 3 business days. Search Engine Roundtable adds that Google’s help pages say you may need to submit a photo ID and video selfie starting June 2026.

The deadline is fixed: “You have 45 days from the date we first ask you to verify your identity.” If verification is not complete after 45 days, Google pauses the activation of the account.

How address verification still works#

The $10 address check is a separate, slower step. When earnings reach it, Google mails a 6-digit PIN to the payments address by standard mail, and says it usually takes 3 weeks to arrive. From the date the PIN is generated there are 4 months to enter it, after which Google stops showing ads on your pages. Entering the PIN incorrectly 3 times also stops ads.

A checklist for new publishers#

• Have a current government photo ID ready before you apply, so the 45-day clock is not a risk.
• Make sure the name and payments address in AdSense match your documents.
• Budget 2 to 3 business days if you choose manual review over the selfie flow.
• Watch the mail once earnings approach $10, and enter the PIN carefully.

Why we care#

For a new publisher the practical change is order of operations: identity verification is now a gate before the first ad serves, not something that arrives with the first $10. Build the verification step into launch planning. For existing publishers the reported change is to the threshold, and the sources do not say what happens to accounts already verified. Check the verification status inside your own account rather than assuming.