What You Need to Know before Becoming a TikTok Shop Creator

08/08/2025

image
Key Points:
  • Distinguish creator types and eligibility criteria on TikTok
Perks of being a TikTok Shop Creator

Different Types of Creators

Have you ever wondered how some creators can put product links in their videos or add a product showcase to their LIVE? They are TikTok Shop creators!Here's a breakdown of everything you need to know about TikTok Shop creators and how they differ from other types of creators on TikTok.
TikTok CreatorAnyone can be a TikTok creator! A TikTok creator is anyone that posts or shares videos that are not intended to promote or sell products.Post a video or do a livestream to take your first step as a TikTok creator.Official Shop Creator and Marketing CreatorOfficial shop creators and marketing creators represent a specific brand on TikTok. They will be closely tied to that brand's TikTok Shop and have varying levels of access to the brand's TikTok Shop operations. An official shop creator or marketing creator may be people who are a part of the marketing or sales team for the brand. A creator bind is required for these types of creators. Find out more about creator binds. Affiliate CreatorAn affiliate creator uses their TikTok channel to promote products in videos or livestreams.When you create content or promote products in a video, you are taking the first step towards monetizing your content as an affiliate creator. There are eligibility requirements (see TikTok Shop Creator Eligibility section) to become an affiliate creator.Once you become an affiliate creator, you can quickly collaborate with sellers and earn commissions from orders you generate using the features below:image
If you are ready to take the next step and become a TikTok Shop creator, you can convert your existing TikTok creator account into an affiliate account on your mobile device here: Convert your account.

TikTok Shop Creator Perks

As a TikTok Shop creator, you have exclusive access to:
1,000 (1).png

TikTok Shop Creator Eligibility

image
All TikTok creators are eligible to enroll as a TikTok Shop creator when you meet all the of the following criteria:
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Meet the follower requirements for each creator type:
    • Affiliate creators: Have a minimum of 1,000 followers
    • Marketing creators: Have a minimum of 1,000 followers to access the TikTok Shop Product Marketplace, no minimum followers required to promote products from the bound TikTok Shop
    • Official Shop creators: No minimum followers required to promote products from the bound TikTok Shop
  • Must not be a Government, Politician, or Political Party Account (GPPPA) as defined here
  • Comply with our TikTok Shop Content Policy, TikTok Community Guidelines, Creator Code of Conduct, Creator Performance Evaluation Policy, and all other TikTok Shop policies
  • Must not share the same or similar login information with TikTok Shop accounts with high violations
Note: In order to promote other products in the TikTok Shop Product Marketplace and earn commissions, all creators must pass the identity verification process. However, if you have a creator bind with a TikTok Shop, you may proceed to promote products from that shop without going through the creator identity verification step.

Age Confirmation

If you are an Affiliate or Marketing creator, you will be asked to verify your age upon registering for access to the TikTok Shop Product Marketplace. You must confirm your age within 2 months of registration.
You are given up to 15 attempts, depending on your chosen method of confirmation. This includes:
  • In-app recognition: Up to 3 attempts
  • Credit card authorization: Up to 6 attempts
  • Uploading a real-time ID and selfie photo: Up to 6 attempts.
    • Take Photos of your Government Issued ID
    • Take 3 real-time selfies with your head turned.

Identity Verification

This section applies to Affiliate and Marketing creators who meet any of the following scenarios:
  • Registered for e-commerce permissions starting July 2025.
  • Have not completed your identity verification before July 2025.
You may be asked to submit your personal identity information and provide identification documents to verify your eligibility after earning your first commission. These include:
  • Your Full Name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Front and back images of a valid government-issued identity document (up to 10 attempts), such as:
    • U.S. driver's license
    • U.S. state-issued identity
    • Passport (Personal details page only)
Identity verification may take a few minutes. Until it's completed, product links may be hidden from your viewers. Once successfully verified, you'll be able to access TikTok Shop features, including commission withdrawals.
image

Creator Pilot Program

If you're an Affiliate creator or Marketing creator who applied for affiliate permission, you will begin a 30-day Creator Pilot Program* as a new TikTok Shop creator if you have fewer than 5,000 followers. During this time, you can explore promoting products from the TikTok Shop Product Marketplace with some limited capabilities, such as:
  • Access to products with shop performance of at least 95% on TikTok Shop Product Marketplace
  • Posting limit of maximum of 5 product promotion videos and 3 LIVEs per week
Changes to these scheduled videos with the "pending" status count towards the quota, including:
  • Changing privacy settings for the video from public to private
  • Deleting the video due to personal reasons or TikTok Shop policy
  • Edits made to the shoppable link in the video
  • Not eligible to join campaigns

How do I graduate from the Creator Pilot Program?

Unlock TikTok Shop's full capabilities when you graduate from the program. To do so, focus on maintaining a clean record with a minimum of 176 points in your Creator Health Rating or no more than 1 violation point. Demonstrate that you are an active creator by fulfilling one of the following requirements:
  • Published 6 or more shoppable videos, each at least 8 seconds long
  • Promoted TikTok Shop products in at least 1 livestream that is at least 5 minutes long
  • Generated 10 orders in your shoppable content
After this time, you will be invited to take our probation quiz. Pass the quiz and meet all of the above requirements to complete your to get full access to TikTok Shop Product Marketplace access, shoppable LIVEs, and campaigns! If you surpass 5,000 followers, these limits will also be lifted.
*This does not apply to creators who were verified before April 7, 2025.Continue to grow your affiliate success to the 5,000-follower milestone to gain full access to post unlimited shoppable videos. If you have under 5,000 followers, your shoppable posts quota refreshes every Monday at midnight PST. View your posting quota in the app by going to Creator Center > Settings > Creator Pilot Program.
image.png

High-Impact Violations

This section will update with new developments and evolving best practices on a regular basis. To stay aligned with the latest guidance, please bookmark this page and revisit this section frequently.
Content Editing Tactics to Avoid:
Do not combine multiple videos in a way that conceals violating content, including using AB frames or similar editing techniques. This behavior is strictly prohibited and violates our platform policies.
Any attempts to mask or hide policy-violating content through video editing will result in enforcement actions, including content removal or account penalties.
⚠️Such behavior can significantly impact your Creator Health Rating (CHR) and may lead to permanent loss of EC (E-Commerce) permissions. Common violations include:
  • Hiding prohibited products, content or claims within edited video frames
  • Using deceptive transitions or frame manipulation to bypass detection
  • Re-uploading previously removed violating content in disguised formats
Let’s work together to maintain a safe and compliant platform environment

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I apply or wait to be invited to the TikTok Shop creator program?
You will need to submit an application for review.
If you meet the above criteria, you may apply to be a TikTok Shop Creator on your TikTok profile page:
  • Step 1: Select Creator tools
  • Step 2: Select TikTok Shop for Creator > Apply
image
How many creator accounts can I have?
One ID can be used to verify up to five TikTok Shop creator accounts. Creators who fail to complete the identity verification process will not be granted e-commerce permissions on TikTok Shop.
Do I need to verify my identity when binding multiple accounts on TikTok Shop?
Yes, every creator account must go through identity verification.
Does the name of my marketing creator account need to be the same as the TikTok Shop?
No, the name of your marketing creator account does not need to be the same as the name of your TikTok Shop. This only applies to the official creator account that is bound to the TikTok Shop.
How can I earn commissions as a creator?
You earn commission when a viewer makes an order through your shoppable videos or LIVEs, or sharable affiliate links. TikTok Shop creators with less than 5,000 followers can only post 5 shoppable videos per week. Get started by creating your commission account.
How are commissions calculated?
To know how much you can earn from each purchase made through your content, you may check the estimated commission amount on the product detail page when you select from the product list. Check out more FAQs on commissions here.
How long does it take for my TikTok Shop creator account to be verified?
It only takes a few minutes. You can also check your TikTok inbox or TikTok Shop Creator Center inbox to check the latest identity verification status.
  • TikTok > Inbox > System
  • TikTok > Creator tools > TikTok Shop for Creator > Top Right notification Center
What can I do if my TikTok Shop creator account was not approved?
If identity verification is unsuccessful on the first try, click "Add Information" to proceed with additional verification steps. This may involve submitting a valid U.S. government issued ID.
image
If your identity verification fails, you will have the option to appeal. You can appeal by clicking "Appeal" on the rejection page and submitting the relevant documentation.
image
Is the TikTok Shop creator account the same as a commission account?
No, a commission account requires your personal and tax information. You will see a prompt to set up your commission account after you have generated commissions as a TikTok Shop creator. Get a headstart and set up your commission account now.image
Can I appeal to be part of the TikTok Shop creator pilot program?
No, creators with a minimum of 1,000 followers who are not redirected to the sign-up page are not part of the pilot program, and this decision cannot be appealed.
For more information, please refer to our Creator Eligibility Policy.
Next Guide to Livestream Content Warnings