Microsoft CSP Indirect Reseller Requirements in 2026

The Microsoft CSP indirect reseller requirements include at least USD 1,000 in eligible CSP transactional revenue over the previous 12 months, multifactor authentication for every administrator in the CSP tenant, and a designated security contact in Partner Center. Microsoft also checks your partner programme membership, Partner Location Account (PLA) details and acceptance of the Microsoft Partner Agreement. Microsoft’s indirect reseller eligibility requirements

Microsoft CSP indirect reseller requirements checklist

• Confirm the affected tenant and review deadline
• Request the 12-month CSP revenue figure from your distributor
• Verify administrator MFA coverage and registration
• Add or update your Partner Center security contact
• Confirm your partner membership and agreement

If you’ve received a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) eligibility notice, start by confirming which reseller tenant it concerns and when that tenant’s review is due. Then work through the five checks below with your Partner Center administrator and distributor.

1. Check your CSP revenue with your distributor

Ask your distributor for the trailing 12-month CSP transactional revenue attributed to the affected Partner Location Account. Microsoft applies the USD 1,000 minimum at the PLA tenant level, so your company-wide sales total may give you the wrong figure for the review.

Eligible CSP transactions can include perpetual software sold through CSP. Revenue attributed through programmes such as Claiming Partner of Record (CPOR), Digital Partner of Record (DPOR) or Partner Admin Link (PAL) does not count toward this transactional threshold. Ask your distributor to confirm the PLA ID, the reporting period and the amount Microsoft considers eligible. Microsoft’s guidance on eligible CSP revenue

2. Set up MFA for every CSP tenant administrator

Microsoft checks that each in-scope administrator is covered by an MFA policy and has registered an additional verification method. Start in the Security workspace in Partner Center, and make sure you’re reviewing the CSP tenant named in your notice. Include emergency access accounts in your review and check Microsoft’s guidance for protecting them. Microsoft’s CSP administrator MFA requirements

Option A for Microsoft Entra ID Free

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with at least the Conditional Access Administrator role. Confirm you’re in the correct directory.
2. Go to Entra ID → Overview → Properties and open Manage security defaults.
3. Set Security defaults to Enabled and select Save. Security defaults apply across the tenant and block legacy authentication. Check which apps and users are affected before enabling them.

Microsoft’s Security Defaults setup guide

Option B for Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2

1. In the Microsoft Entra admin center, go to Entra ID → Conditional Access → Policies and create a policy for administrator MFA.
2. Include the relevant administrator roles and target All resources. Review existing policies to confirm every in-scope account is covered by MFA.
3. Under Grant, require multifactor authentication. Start in Report-only to evaluate the policy without enforcing it. Review the results and test administrator and emergency access. When those checks pass, set Enable policy to On and verify MFA coverage in Partner Center.

Choose the approach that fits your tenant. Security Defaults and Conditional Access cannot operate together. Microsoft’s Conditional Access setup guide

For stronger protection, consider requiring phishing-resistant MFA for administrators, such as FIDO2 passkeys. Register supported methods before enforcing the policy and plan emergency access separately using Microsoft’s guidance. Phishing-resistant MFA for administrators and Emergency access accounts.

Register verification methods and confirm coverage

1. Ask each administrator to sign in and finish setting up an approved verification method when prompted.
2. Test an administrator sign-in with the registered method. If your tenant has Entra ID P1 or P2, review User registration details under Authentication methods to identify outstanding registrations.
3. Return to Partner Center → Security and verify that the mandatory administrator MFA requirement shows as completed.

3. Add or update your Partner Center security contact

A Global Administrator for the CSP partner tenant must make this update. Choose the person or team responsible for responding to security incidents. Use a monitored email address and a phone number that can be reached outside business hours. Microsoft’s security contact guide

Legacy Partner Center layout

1. Sign in to Partner Center and open the Settings gear.
2. Go to Account settings → My profile. Under Organization Profile, open Legal Info.
3. Find Security contact and select Update.
4. Enter the contact’s name, email address and phone number, then select Update again.

New Partner Center layout

1. Open Settings → Account settings → Account management.
2. On the Cloud Solution Provider card, select Overview.
3. In Company details, select Update. Fill in the Security contact fields and select Save.

Reopen the contact record to confirm the details were saved, then check the Security workspace for completion. If the contact is a team, Microsoft prefers a distribution list that reaches the people responsible for CSP security.

4. Review your partner membership and agreement

In Partner Center, go to Settings → Account settings. Under Legal info, check that your partner membership is active and that the PLA ID matches the business location and CSP region associated with the reseller tenant. Under Legal agreements, confirm that the CSP Indirect Reseller Microsoft Partner Agreement has been accepted. Record the agreement version and acceptance date for your team. Microsoft Partner Agreement guidance

5. Confirm your anniversary month and act on the notice

Microsoft reviews indirect reseller eligibility annually in the CSP onboarding anniversary month. Advance notices can begin roughly 90 days before the organisation’s earliest CSP anniversary month. If you manage more than one reseller tenant, ask your distributor to confirm the onboarding month and applicable deadline for the specific tenant named in your notice. Microsoft’s annual review and notice timeline

Microsoft says that if requirements remain unmet at the anniversary review, it sends a notice giving the organisation 30 days to resolve the outstanding issues. Deauthorisation proceedings can begin after that period. Use the deadline in your own notice to plan the work and raise unresolved issues with your distributor early. Microsoft’s guidance on failed authorisation requirements

Frequently asked questions

Does the USD 1,000 minimum apply across all our locations?

Microsoft assesses the revenue threshold at the applicable PLA tenant level. If you transact through multiple locations, ask your distributor for a separate revenue breakdown for each affected PLA. Microsoft’s annual reseller requirements

What should I send my distributor after receiving a notice?

Through your established support channel, share the affected reseller tenant and PLA details, the deadline shown in your notice, and the specific checks you need help resolving. Ask for the latest eligible revenue figure and confirmation of the affected tenant’s review date.

Could deauthorisation affect customer subscriptions?

An active indirect reseller authorisation is part of Microsoft’s Partner of Record validation for new orders and many changes to existing subscriptions. If your authorisation is at risk, ask your distributor to review upcoming renewals, planned licence changes and any customer subscriptions that may require a transition plan. Microsoft’s Partner of Record validation guidance and CSP partner transition guide

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