How AdSense payments work: threshold, PIN, timing and holds
AdSense pays once your earnings pass a threshold and your identity, address and payment details are verified. This page follows Google's own steps in order, with the amounts and dates it publishes, and a worked example of how long the first payment takes. Check whether a site is ready to apply with our AdSense approval checker; the section hub is websites, SEO and AdSense.
By the Chelure Enterprises Editorial Team. Last reviewed . How we check our sources.
The six steps to your first payment
| Step | What Google says |
|---|---|
| 1. Earnings reach $10 | Ad earnings must reach $10 (or local equivalent); add tax information if your location requires it |
| 2. Verify your identity | The identity verification threshold is $0; confirm your personal information within 45 days from the date Google first asks, to continue to show ads and receive payments |
| 3. Verify your address (PIN) | Google mails a PIN to your payment address. It may take up to 2-3 weeks to arrive; enter it before any payment is issued; you have 4 months from when it is generated |
| 4. Choose how to be paid | Select a form of payment once earnings reach the payment method selection threshold |
| 5. Reach the payment threshold | If your balance reaches the threshold by month-end and there are no holds, payment is issued between the 21st and 26th of the following month |
| 6. Payment is sent | Funds are processed and appear in your account |
Payment threshold by currency
| Currency | Payment threshold |
|---|---|
| US dollar | $100 |
| Euro | 70 euros |
| British pound | 60 pounds |
| Canadian dollar | C$100 |
| Australian dollar | A$100 |
| Japanese yen | 8,000 yen |
Google's table covers about 30 currencies in all. Each payments account (for example a separate YouTube account) has its own threshold, and each must reach it separately to be paid and must select a payment method.
How long until the first payment?
Using Google's rules for a US dollar account, with a steady monthly amount of finalized earnings (our arithmetic, ignoring holds and verification delays):
| Earnings per month | Months to reach $100 | Then paid |
|---|---|---|
| $20.00 | 5 months | Following month, between the 21st and 26th |
| $50.00 | 2 months | Following month, between the 21st and 26th |
| $100.00 | 1 month | Following month, between the 21st and 26th |
Below the threshold, finalized earnings roll over and accrue. The PIN is often the slowest step in practice: allow up to 2-3 weeks for the letter, so request it as soon as Google asks. To estimate your own earnings from traffic, use the estimator in our approval checker.
Holds
Payments are issued only if there are no other payment holds. Google lists unconfirmed personal information as a cause of a hold, and you can also place a temporary hold yourself. If a payment does not arrive, check Google's list of common payment hold issues.
Frequently asked questions
How much do you need to earn before AdSense pays?
The payment threshold is $100 for US dollar accounts. Google lists other currencies in the same table, for example 70 euros, 60 pounds sterling, 100 Canadian dollars, 100 Australian dollars and 8,000 yen.
When does AdSense pay?
If your balance reaches the payment threshold by month-end and there are no other holds, payment is issued between the 21st and the 26th of the following month. Google's example: a $100 threshold reached in January is paid at the end of February.
What is the PIN?
Google mails a PIN to your payment address. It may take up to 2-3 weeks to arrive, you must enter it in your AdSense account before any payment is issued, and you have 4 months from when it is generated to complete verification.
What happens if I do not reach the threshold?
Finalized earnings roll over and accrue until the threshold is met.
Do I have to verify my identity?
Yes. Google says the identity verification threshold is $0, and that you must confirm your personal information to continue to show ads and receive payments; you have 45 days from the date Google first asks.
Which payment methods exist?
Options depend on your payment address; Google's article names Electronic Funds Transfer and wire transfer, and its help menu lists EFT, SEPA, wire transfer, check, Western Union and PayPal Hyperwallet, subject to location.
Sources
Primary sources opened on November 13, 2026. Prices come from our verified price table (see the methodology).
Read from Google's help pages on November 13, 2026; the thresholds and methods can change and vary by location.