Points and Levels

To encourage participation and reward great answers, Yahoo! Answers has a system of points and levels. The number of points you get depends on the specific action you take. The points table below summarizes the point values for different actions. While you can't use points to buy or redeem anything, they do allow everyone to recognize how active and helpful you've been. (And they give you another excuse to brag to your friends.)

Levels

Levels are another way to keep track of how active you (and others) have been. The more points you accumulate, the higher your level. Yahoo! Answers recognizes your level achievements with our special brand of thank you's!

And finally, as you attain higher levels, you'll also be able to contribute more to Yahoo! Answers - you can ask, answer, vote and rate more frequently.

Here are the point requirements for each level.
1 ⇒ 1-249
2 ⇒ 250-999
3 ⇒ 1,000-2,499
4 ⇒ 2,500-4,999
5 ⇒ 5,000-9,999
6 ⇒ 10,000-24,999
7 ⇒ 25,000+

↑↑You gain points by:
Joining: 100 points
Signing in daily: 1 point
Answer a question: 2 points
Choose a best answer for your question: 3 points
The vote on your question selects "no best answer": 5 points (returned)
Vote for best answer: 1 point
Get selected as best answer: 10 points
Get thumbs up with best answer: 1 point each
Winning a violation appeal: point loss returned
↓↓You lose points by:
Asking a question: -5 points
Deleting your answer: -2 points
Answer violation from community: -2 points
Question violation from staff: -10 points
Answer violation from staff: -12 points
Losing a violation appeal: -10 points if not originally lost

Yahoo! Answers does not work like some other sites. There are no points awarded by members. A positive rating only gives points to the person with the best answer. Negative ratings do not affect points. You may only vote for one answer as best but you may give ratings to anyone. Any level can vote. Only level 2 and above can rate.

Level 2 starts at 250 points.

All levels can pick a best answer to questions they ask and can vote for best answer on others' undecided questions. Once you hit level 2 & get the ability to 'rate', the only difference in the levels is the daily limits on questions, answers, comments, votes, etc.

Levels 2 and up can 'rate' the answers of other Y!A users. Rating = giving Thumbs Up & Down to express your opinion of other peoples' answers. No points are involved (unless a best answer has TUs, then they get 1 point for each TU up to 50) in rating, and thumbs do not determine the Best Answer selection.

Hints:

answer your limit of questions each day (2 points each)
get an answer selected as best answer (10 points each)
pick a best answer for your question (3 points)
vote your limit of unresolved questions each day (1 point each)
you also get a point a day for signing in

each question costs 5 points, so ask sparingly

You can see the chart on how to earn points and the level privileges by clicking on your points or level.