FIRST TRUST EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND VIII
                         DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

      1. The Trust. First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII (the "Trust") is an
open-end management investment company registered as such under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and organized as a series
trust (each such series is referred to herein as a "Fund").

      2. The Plan. The Trust desires to adopt a plan of distribution pursuant to
Rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the shares of beneficial interest
("Shares") of certain of the Funds which are identified in Exhibit A hereof, and
the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board of Trustees") has determined that
there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this Distribution and Service
Plan (the "Plan") will benefit each such Fund (the "Designated Funds") and its
holders of Shares. Accordingly, on behalf of each Designated Fund, the Trust
hereby adopts this Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act on the
following terms and conditions (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein
have the meanings assigned thereto in the Trust's registration statement under
the 1940 Act and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such
registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in
effect).

      3. The Distributor. The Trust has entered into a written Distribution
Agreement with First Trust Portfolios L.P. (the "Distributor"), pursuant to
which the Distributor will act as the exclusive distributor with respect to the
creation and distribution of Creation Unit size aggregations of Shares as
described in the Trust's registration statement ("Creation Units") of each Fund.

      4. Payments. (a) The Trust may pay a monthly fee not to exceed 0.25% per
annum of each Fund's average daily net assets to reimburse the Distributor for
actual amounts expended to finance any activity primarily intended to result in
the sale of Creation Units of each Fund or the provision of investor services,
including but not limited to (i) delivering copies of the Trust's then-current
prospectus to prospective purchasers of such Creation Units, statement of
additional information or annual or semi-annual reports relating to the Trust;
(ii) marketing and promotional services including advertising; (iii)
facilitating communications with beneficial owners of shares of the Trust,
including providing explanations to owners regarding fund investment objectives
and policies and other information about the Trust or any Funds thereof; (iv)
delivering any notices of shareholder meetings and proxy statements accompanying
such notices in connection with general and special meetings of interest holders
of the Trust; and (v) such other services and obligations as are set forth in
the Distribution Agreement. Such payments shall be made within ten (10) days of
the end of each calendar month. The determination of daily net assets shall be
made at the close of business each day throughout the month and computed in the
manner specified in the then current Prospectus for the determination of the net
asset value of Creation Units.

      (b) Distribution expenses incurred in any one year in excess of 0.25% of
each Fund's average daily net assets may be reimbursed in subsequent years
subject to the annual 0.25% limit and subject further to the approval of the
Board of Trustees including a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested






persons" of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or
indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in any agreement
related to this Plan (the "Independent Trustees").

      (c) The Distributor may use all or any portion of the amount received
pursuant to this Plan to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are
Authorized Participants for providing distribution assistance, including
broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services,
pursuant to agreements with the Distributor, or to pay any of the expenses
associated with other activities authorized under paragraph 4(a) hereof.

      (d) First Trust Advisors L.P., may use any portion of its advisory fee to
compensate dealers, including the Distributor, for expenses incurred in
connection with the sales and distribution of a Fund's shares, including,
without limitation, compensation of its sales force, expenses of printing and
distributing prospectuses to persons other than shareholders, expenses of
preparing, printing and distributing advertising and sales literature and
reports to shareholders used in connection with the sale of a Fund's share,
certain other expenses associated with the distribution of shares of a Fund, and
any distribution-related expenses that may be authorized from time to time by
the Board of Trustees.

      All such expenses covered by the Plan shall be deemed incurred whether
paid directly by the Distributor or by a third party to the extent reimbursed
therefor by the Distributor.

      5. Effective Date. This Plan shall become effective upon approval by a
vote of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the
Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on this Plan.

      6. Term. This Plan shall, unless terminated as hereinafter provided,
remain in effect with respect to the Designated Fund for one year from its
effective date and shall continue thereafter, provided that its continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the
Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on this Plan.

      7. Amendment. This Plan may be amended at any time by the Board of
Trustees, provided that (a) any amendment to increase materially the amount to
be spent for the services provided for in paragraph 4 hereof shall be effective
only upon approval by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
(as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Designated Fund, and (b) any
material amendment of this Plan shall be effective only upon approval by a vote
of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the Independent
Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.

      8. Termination. This Plan may be terminated at any time, without payment
of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the
1940 Act) of the Designated Fund. In the event of termination or non-continuance






of this Plan, the Trust may reimburse any expense which it incurred prior to
such termination or non-continuance, provided that such reimbursement is
specifically approved by both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority
of the Independent Trustees.

      9. Assignment. This Plan will not be terminated by an assignment, however,
an assignment will terminate any agreement under the Plan involving any such
assignment.

      10. Reports. While this Plan is in effect, the Distributor shall provide
to the Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written
report of the amounts expended pursuant to the Plan and the purposes for which
such expenditures were made.

      11. Records. The Trust shall preserve copies of this Plan, each agreement
related hereto and each report referred to in paragraph 9 hereof for a period of
at least six years from the date of the Plan, agreement and report, the first
two years in an easily accessible place.

      12. Independent Trustees. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and
nomination of Independent Trustees shall be committed to the discretion of the
Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust (as defined in the 1940
Act).

      13. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the
Plan shall not be affected thereby.






                                   EXHIBIT A
                           (AS OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2016)


FUND                                                          EFFECTIVE DATE
-----------------------------------------------------------   ------------------
First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF                        September 28, 2016

First Trust Municipal CEF Income Opportunity ETF              September 28, 2016