Editing Levels

[Australia_Wazeopedia1]

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This page discusses the “ranks” or “levels” held by Waze map editors. These form a part of the editing permissions system. The Waze Help page outlines the points awarded for various edits, and at this stage, it is separate from the ranking system. The Your Rank and Points topic on the US wiki provides additional details on ranking and points.

The terms “rank” and “level” are often used interchangeably. In this topic, we will use the term “level”.

Changes and Points vs Edits

Map edits are listed in your scoreboard and affect your total number of points. “Editing the map” means making a change to road segments. If you correct the spelling on three different segments of the same road you will earn three map edits. If you edit the same segment more than one time in a day (24 hours) you will only receive credit for the edit one time.

For example, if you correct the city name at the same time or a little later in the day, you have made two changes to the segment but will receive credit for one edit to the segment.

In the Waze Map Editor (WME), any change is counted by the counter on the “Save” button in the top right corner. A change is not the same as an edit. A change is any action that can be undone with the “Undo” button. For example, if you select 10 segments at one time, correct the spelling of the name on all 10 segments, and select “Apply”, the change counter will increase by one. Why? Because you made one single, undo-able change. If you change one segment by moving 10 geometry points around a curve, each time you drag and drop a geometry point, that is a change and the change counter increases because you can undo each of these actions.

In the first example, those 10 segments changed all at once will get you credit for 10 edits. In the second example, those 10 changes will get you credit for 1 edit. In the first you changed 10 different objects but in the second, you changed only a single object.

As a final, extreme example, if you update an existing long segment, give it a new name, change the city, change the road type, the direction, the lock level and elevation, then adjust the location of 100 geometry points, the save counter may show 160 changes. When you save, that is counted as a single edit to that segment. You have only changed a single object.

Editing Levels

Your editing level increases based on your edit count. As your editing level grows so do your permissions and editing abilities. These are discussed further below.

Promotions

Level promotions are evaluated based on a combination of related factors including:

• Edit count
• Editing quality and finish
• Editing skill and knowledge
• Suspicious or damaging edits
• Proper etiquette in communication
• Community involvement
• Mentoring participation
• Adherence to the Waze Community Terms of Service.

These factors are weighted differently at different promotion levels. Promotion to levels 2 and 3 often focus more on knowledge, skill, and quality of edits (with edit count used as a proxy). Promotion to level 4 and above often requires more communication, community involvement, mentoring, and leadership.

Edit count therefore is of diminishing importance to promotion at higher levels. If one edits with the requisite skill and communicates with integrity and etiquette, and other level-associated criteria are satisfied, one may be promoted before achieving the listed edit count for a given level. Conversely, a lack of effective editing practices with quality edits and proper decorum, promotion may not occur even after one has achieved the listed edit count. We’ve included a breakdown below under the section “Promotions Ladder” to better explain how higher levels can be achieved.

Note that promotion to levels 2 and 3 is automatic based on the edit count. Automatic promotions can be turned off for an editor, though, if an Australian Coordinator is of the belief that the editor has not yet gained the essential skills to progress to the next editing level. Promotions to level 4 and higher require both an ongoing fulfilment of the above mentioned factors for promotion and processing by an Australian Coordinator - more on that below.

Formal mentoring is a great tool to help you learn the skills and knowledge you will need to be eligible for a level promotion. Get in touch with your State Manager before you are eligible and have a discussion about where you need to focus to become eligible for the promotion.

Promotions Ladder

While the following ladder is based on a Global Progression Framework and is similar to other countries, Australia operates a unique ladder. You must meet the requirements of the Australian Editing Ladder to progress further.

The ladder isn’t static, and will continue to change as new Waze features are launched, and expectations of the community change.

L1 → L2: Getting Started

1. Automatic progression: Granted automatically after reaching 3,000 edits.

L2 → L3: Becoming an Advanced Editor

1. Automatic progression: Granted automatically after reaching 25,000 edits.

   OR

2. Early promotion: May be granted before reaching 25,000 edits based on:

   • Consistently high-quality edits.
   • Good knowledge of the Waze Map Editor (WME) and its features.
   • Following local and global mapping best practices.
   • Active participation and positive involvement within the Waze Australia community (such as being active on the Waze Australia Discord server).

L3 → L4: The Reliable Contributor

1. Area Management (AM): Frequent editing and maintenance of an AM area. Expertise in the specific area.

   • Regular map maintenance to ensure all segments, places, and house numbers are accurate.
   • Promptly addressing and resolving User Reports (URs), Place Update Request (PUR) and Map Problems (MPs) within the AM area, and communicating with users in a polite and professional manner consistent with community standards.
   • Proactively staying updated on local road changes, new developments, and infrastructure projects to reflect them on the map.
   • Editors who already successfully oversee an existing AM may qualify in this level progression for an expanded geographic area or a supplementary AM assignment to their local residential vicinity.

2. Closures:

   • Expertise in adding road closures and understanding the related closures of nodes and turns. Proven ability to understand statuses of closures and provide assistance to partners in adding them to the map.

   OR

   • Successful completion of the required training course, demonstrating strong proficiency in the feature and a deep understanding of its routing impact on drivers, as covered in the training section below.

3. Junction Box:

   • Understands the impact of JBs in routing and guidance and uses the JBs correctly.

   OR

   • Successful completion of the required training course, demonstrating strong proficiency in the feature and a deep understanding of its routing impact on drivers, as covered in the training section below.

4. Lane Guidance: Adding guidance to a segment and defining the navigation instructions for drivers.

5. Suggest an Edit: Knows how to moderate suggestions and is polite with suggesters.

   • Demonstrates technical proficiency in reviewing and moderating map suggestions.
   • Maintains professional and polite communication with all contributors, providing clear explanations for moderation decisions.
   • Strictly adheres to established local and global moderation guidelines to ensure consistency across the map.

6. Permanent Hazards: Have an understanding and proven record of adding PHs in your country.

7. School Zones: Understanding of how to properly define a school zone polygon, including all relevant segments.

8. Be active in Waze Discuss forum: Stay proactively informed about the latest news and announcements provided by the Waze staff and communities team. Contribute your knowledge and expertise to local forums or Waze Australia Discord server and actively participate in the development cycle by providing constructive feedback on new features, beta releases, and map editing tools to ensure they meet the needs of your local region.

9. Active in Waze Australia Discord server: Is an active part of group discussions. This involves frequently participating in discussions and staying informed about community updates and announcements, and following Waze terms of service.

10. Community Endorsement: Ensuring that local leadership supports the rank advancement. Active engagement within the community is vital, as obtaining the community’s approval remains an essential prerequisite.

11. Complete Waze Academy Courses: Demonstrated completion the following Waze courses:
    • Waze Map Editor - Basics
    • Waze Map Editor Essential Edits
    • Waze Map Editor - Issues and Reports
    • Waze Map Editor - Road Closures and Traffic Events
    • Waze Map Editor Advanced - Junction Boxes and Paths
    • Waze Map Editor - Advanced Segment Editing
    • Waze Map Editor - Suggest an Edit - Moderators

L4 → L5: The Community Mentor

1. Lanes on Junction Boxes: Ability to understand when and how to map lane guidance on JBs.

2. Paths (Far Lanes): Knowledge of adding a path and configuring far turns. Understanding of push and pull characteristics.

3. Segment Restrictions: Comprehensive and extensive understanding of the significance of, and the type of, restrictions that exist in WME (for specific days, hours, days, vehicles, permits, lanes and tolls).

4. Crisis Response & Shelters: During a crisis, the editor acts as a vital link to the crisis/communities team, identifying and reporting official shelters, evacuation centres and donation centres (when relevant). They have mastered the standardised procedures for accurately adding these locations to the map or reporting them to the communities/crisis team.

5. Mentoring:

   • Is an active community mentor and shares their knowledge with mentees. This includes providing 1:1 guidance on complex mapping scenarios, offering constructive feedback on edit quality to ensure map accuracy, and actively encouraging mentees to participate in community discussions and local groups to build their network.

   OR

   • While not serving as an official mentor, this contributor is deeply trusted by the community to resolve mapping queries, guide peers throughout their editing journey, and offer constructive feedback to support their growth.

7. New Editors Retention & Proactive Interaction: Actively identifies newcomers by monitoring local mapping activity through High Volume Activity (HVA) reports, recent edits, or “suggest an edit” moderations. Sends personalised welcome messages to invite new editors into the local community. The ultimate goal is to foster long-term community integration by serving as a bridge between the map and the social community channels.

8. Welcoming Newcomers: Takes a lead role in proactive outreach by identifying and greeting new editors promptly. They provide essential initial resources, such as links to local mapping wikis and communication channels, while fostering a supportive environment that encourages questions and long-term community integration.

9. Wazeopedia & Knowledge Sharing: Acts as a local custodian of knowledge by collaborating with Local Champs to edit articles to reflect current mapping standards. They don’t just follow guides; they propose structural changes to improve clarity for others and ensure that all local documentation is kept up-to-date, serving as a reliable reference for the entire community.

10. Community Endorsement: Ensuring that local leadership supports the rank advancement. Active engagement within the community is vital, as obtaining the community’s approval remains an essential prerequisite.

11. Complete Waze Academy Courses: Demonstrated completion the following Waze courses:
    • Waze Map Editor Advanced - Segment Restriction
    • Waze Map Editor Advanced Project Koifish
    • Waze Map Editor - Crisis Response

L5 → L6: The Strategic & Diplomatic Leader

1. Request Imagery (“The Button”): Knows how to identify outdated imagery by checking availability of imagery in all available layers. Correctly requesting imagery updates via “the button” and adds all needed data to fulfill the request.

2. Active in Chat: Serves as a primary initiator of community conversations within local channels. Proactively shares critical staff announcements and ensures updates are effectively disseminated to the group.

3. Leader & Consensus Builder: Demonstrates leadership through consensus building and serving as a model for peers. Actively facilitates the resolution of internal community conflicts. Embodies the qualities of a seasoned, approachable leader with extensive Waze expertise.

4. Map Raid Organiser or Project leader: Identifies areas for improvement in the map and organises Map Raids (either local or global) and/or leads, organises and encourages mapping initiatives such as: mapping traffic lights, mapping speed bumps, closing URs in certain areas, reviewing KoiFish open suggestions and newly launched Waze mapping features in order to unlock them for our users.

5. Relationship with your country’s coordinator : Maintains a strong, collaborative partnership with their country coordinators and demonstrates expertise in identifying when to escalate concerns to coordinators. Knows who is their Staff Community Manager.

6. Holds at least THREE other active role besides Map Editor: Is a Community Booster, Partner Coordinator, Mentoring Coordinator, WME Pirate, Beta Tester, Beta Leader, TE Marshall, First Responder, Coordinator, Local Champ, Culture Chair, Mega Mapper, Script Writer, or any other available community role.

7. Community Endorsement: Ensuring that local leadership supports the rank advancement. Active engagement within the community is vital, as obtaining the community’s approval remains an essential prerequisite.

If you feel that you might be eligible for a level promotion, review the above list of factors, reflect on your progress, and contact one of the Australian Leadership Team to initiate a review and the promotion process. Promotions aren’t the decision of a single Local Champ, but are discussed amongst all Local Champs.

What do the colours mean?

Editing skill - A demonstrated competence and experience at a Waze map editing tasks or feature.

Soft skill - A personal or interpersonal skill that helps you communicate, work with others, and handle situations effectively. Examples include communication, teamwork, empathy, leadership, problem solving and adaptability.

Community contribution - A demonstrated ongoing interaction, engagement, mentoring and value-adding to the Waze Australia map editing community.

General / Other - A Waze system or unique local requirement.

Demotions

Editors may receive a level reduction, which can be initiated by Waze Staff or the Waze Australia Leadership Team at their sole discretion. While the Waze Australia Leadership Team often attempt to contact editors to communicate issues or concerns before taking adverse action on an account, we are not required to do so. Level reductions may occur in instances of map abuse, failure to follow mapping guidelines, or failure to adhere to the Waze Terms of Service.

A temporary reduction in editor level can occur while an editor works to realign their editing skills with the requirements for holding their assigned editing level. For example, an editor who makes frequent and ongoing errors, is not competent in using a particular feature, or whose edits cause considerable damage to the map and impact drivers, may receive an editor level adjustment from 3 to 2 while they undertake additional training and mentoring.

As mentioned in Promotions above, if an editor no longer meets the ongoing requirements for a higher editing level (see the requirements mentioned in the Promotions Ladder section), they may be demoted. For example, a level 4 editor stops editing for 12 months or ceases engaging with the community may be subject to demotion. Each case is assessed on individual circumstances before any action is taken.

Breakdowns

Badge	Editing Level	Suggested Edit Count	Editable Area Radius *	Unlocked App Mood
New editor	1	0 plus	1.6 km (1 mile)
Beginner	2	3,000 plus	3.2 km (2 miles)
Proficient	3	25,000 plus	4.8 km (3 miles)
Advanced	4	N/A	6.4 km (4 miles)
Expert	5	N/A	6.4 km (4 miles)
Champion	6	N/A	Country Wide
Staff	7	N/A	Global

• November 2025 - Your drive-based editing areas will now expire on the 63rd day

Community Roles

The editing community isn’t the only Waze role. In addition to editing the map our global community is also made up of volunteers who keep it, and related functions, running smoothly. These volunteers fulfil different roles and specialise in specific areas of Waze. You can find out more at The Waze Community.