Skip to content

Update node

  • One of the main OpenStreetMap API usabilities

Updates data for an existing node element.

To update existing node you must operate inside an open changeset

Insert the ongoing changeset ID changeset to the request body. After completing various operations on the element, you should close a changset (or it will close automatically). You can also do multiple operations on many elements (create, update, delete) in one ongoing changeset.

In request body the node ID id, latitude lat, longitude lon and node version version are also required (check the example).

A full representation of the element as it should be after the update has to be provided

Any tags, way-node refs, and relation members that remain unchanged must be in the update as well. Also, a version number must be provided as well, it must match the current version of the element in the database.

Request

/api/0.6/node/{id}
Example body request for update node with ID
<osm>
  <node id="4359470504" lat="50.8038794" lon="16.2646154" version="1" changeset="412389">
    <tag k="amenity" v="garden"/>
    <tag k="name" v="Node (1) for a plot in the ROD-Association garden"/>
  </node>
</osm>

Response

succesUpdateNode_example.xml
1
2

Error codes

When there are errors parsing the XML – a text message explaining the error is returned (example: Version is required when updating). This can also happen if you forget to pass the Content-Length header. When a changeset ID is missing, when a node is outside the world.

When no element with the given ID could be found (example: Requested resource could not be found).

If the changeset in question has already been closed – either by the user or as a result of the auto-closing feature (example: The changeset 412384 was closed at 2025-04-23 11:51:26 UTC). Also if the user trying to update the changeset is not the same, as the one that created it.

When the request has been blocked due to rate limiting.