New to Microsoft's partner program? Requirements and ways in
New to Microsoft's partner program? Joining starts with Partner Center, then splits by role: resellers need a distributor or direct bill, services companies can start with an entry benefits package, and software companies can enroll in Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace at no cost. This page lists the requirements, maps each way in, and shows an illustrative 90 days.
For a founder or CEO of a company new to Microsoft's program, or a head of partnerships, across resell, services and software.As of
What does it take to join?
| Element | What it takes | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program membership | What it takesActive membership, enrolled in Partner Center by a Global admin with authority to sign agreements for the company; required for the no-cost marketplace enrollment | Applies toAny |
| Reseller route through a distributor | What it takesA partnership with an authorized distributor | Applies toResell |
| Direct bill | What it takes12 months as an indirect reseller and USD 1 million of trailing-12-month revenue | Applies toResell |
| Entry benefits package | What it takes$350 a year for Partner Launch Benefits | Applies toServices |
| Business Applications designation | What it takesAt least 70 of 100 points | Applies toServices, Resell |
| Marketplace listing | What it takesPublishing costs nothing; a 3% standard store service fee applies to transactable offers | Applies toSoftware |
| Referral-ready status | What it takesOffer published on Microsoft Marketplace and a sales contact for each geography | Applies toSoftware, Services |
Microsoft begins verification once you submit, and enrollment is active only after vetting shows as authorized. Personal Azure free or trial accounts, Azure Government tenants and Microsoft Accounts such as Outlook.com cannot be used, and some countries need a Registration ID (Enrolling in the first partner program). Microsoft's page lists no enrollment fee; amounts and point weights for later steps are set in Partner Center.
Which ways in fit your company?
Every way in is listed below, including ones that rarely matter to a new partner. Program names are Microsoft's own.
Selling Microsoft products
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSP indirect reseller | What it gives youResell Microsoft subscriptions through an authorized distributor | Role it needsResell | Works with others?Sequence: direct bill needs 12 months as an indirect reseller first |
| CSP direct bill | What it gives youBuy directly from Microsoft instead of through a distributor, with a $1 million trailing-12-month revenue bar | Role it needsResell | Works with others?Sequence: needs the prior 12 months as an authorized indirect reseller |
| Copilot Business promotional pricing | What it gives you15% promotional pricing on new Microsoft 365 Copilot Business purchases through Dec 31, 2026 | Role it needsResell | Works with others?Check with Microsoft |
Which of these fit depends on whether you already work with a distributor, how soon your customers will buy new Copilot seats, and how much Cloud Solution Provider revenue you expect in your first 12 months.
Delivering services
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner Launch Benefits | What it gives you$350 a year; $700 of Azure credits and Microsoft 365 licenses; the entry point for services partners | Role it needsServices | Works with others?Check with Microsoft |
| Solutions Partner for Cloud & AI Platforms | What it gives youBadge for the three Azure pathways: Data & AI, Infrastructure, and Digital & App Innovation | Role it needsServices, Software | Works with others?Sequence: Azure specializations need an aligned designation first |
| Solutions Partner for AI Business Solutions | What it gives youBadge for the Modern Work and Business Applications pathways; Business Applications needs at least 70 of 100 points | Role it needsServices, Resell | Works with others?Sequence: Business Applications, Sales, Service, Finance and Supply Chain specializations need the designation first |
| Tagged consulting offer on Microsoft Marketplace | What it gives youRequired before any Business Applications specialization | Role it needsServices | Works with others?Sequence: comes before a Business Applications specialization |
Which of these fit depends on the Microsoft products you deliver projects on, the budget you have for a benefits package, and whether your first customers need a visible designation before they sign.
Selling your own software
| Path | What it gives you | Role it needs | Works with others? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace (no cost) | What it gives youAzure sponsorship at milestones, referral participation and a route to a certified software designation | Role it needsSoftware | Works with others?Sequence: needs active Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program membership |
| Transactable offer on Microsoft Marketplace | What it gives youList and sell software with a 3% standard store service fee; publishing costs nothing | Role it needsSoftware | Works with others?Check with Microsoft |
| Referral-ready status (Microsoft's own program name is “co-sell ready”) | What it gives youEntry status for Microsoft referrals: publish the offer on Microsoft Marketplace and list a sales contact for each geography | Role it needsSoftware, Services | Works with others?Sequence: software companies need Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace enrollment first; services partners need one Solutions Partner designation |
| Individual Microsoft Certifications | What it gives youFundamentals, Associate, Expert and Specialty exams; intermediate and advanced certifications earn Skilling points toward a designation | Role it needsAny | Works with others?Sequence: counts toward the Skilling category of a designation |
Whether these pay off depends on whether your product runs on Azure, whether customers can already buy it through their Microsoft contracts, and how many geographies you want Microsoft introductions in.
What could the first 90 days look like?
Illustrative. A 12-person software company on Azure with one product and no Microsoft listing yet. A services company would spend the same 90 days differently: an entry benefits package, a designation check and a tagged consulting offer.
- First 30 days
Enroll and list
- Confirm active Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program membership and enroll in the no-cost Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace
- Publish the offer on Microsoft Marketplace
- Days 31–60
Get referral-ready
- List a sales contact for each geography and make the offer transactable, which puts referral-ready status in reach
- Create the first private offer for a named customer
- Days 61–90
Check the deeper status
- Check Azure consumed or marketplace billed revenue against the threshold for the deeper Azure IP status
- Decide whether the paid Frontier Accelerate tier at $1,550 a year matches the support wanted
Microsoft has the paths. Playmaker finds yours.
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Frequently
asked questions
The short answers for new Microsoft partners. Playmaker shows you the rest in 3 minutes.
A Global admin enrolls in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program in Partner Center and accepts its agreement. After that, requirements depend on your role: a distributor relationship for resellers, an entry benefits package for services companies, and Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program membership for software companies enrolling in Frontier Accelerate for Marketplace.
Partner Launch Benefits is $350 a year, and the marketplace enrollment is free to eligible partners. Publishing on Microsoft Marketplace costs nothing, and transactable offers carry a 3% standard store service fee.
Yes. Microsoft's pages describe the roles as separate programs, so a company can hold paths from both. The paths map above tags every row with the role it needs.
Microsoft's pages used for this page state no restriction tied to programs you hold with other partners. Check with Microsoft for any agreement that says otherwise.
Designations are for companies that want a Solutions Partner badge. Business Applications needs at least 70 of 100 points, and specializations need an aligned designation first.
Sources
The Microsoft pages this page reads, all accessed Nov 4, 2026. Program names and terms belong to Microsoft.
Microsoft, Azure, Copilot and Microsoft 365 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. WorkSpan is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.
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