diff --git a/python/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.sip b/python/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.sip
index 67173f99466..7e703ba3ded 100644
--- a/python/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.sip
+++ b/python/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.sip
@@ -9,31 +9,40 @@
 
 
 
-class QgsSymbolLevelsDialog : QDialog
+class QgsSymbolLevelsWidget : QgsPanelWidget
 {
+%Docstring
+ A widget which allows the user to modify the rendering order of symbol layers.
+.. seealso:: QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+%End
 
 %TypeHeaderCode
 #include "qgssymbollevelsdialog.h"
 %End
   public:
-    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent = 0 );
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent /TransferThis/ = 0 );
 %Docstring
-Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
+Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsWidget
 %End
 
-    ~QgsSymbolLevelsDialog();
-
     bool usingLevels() const;
 %Docstring
+Returns whether the level ordering is enabled
  :rtype: bool
 %End
 
     void setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled );
+%Docstring
+ Sets whether the level ordering is always forced on and hide the checkbox (used by rule-based renderer)
+ \param enabled toggle level ordering
+%End
 
   public slots:
-    void updateUi();
-
-    void renderingPassChanged( int row, int column );
+    void apply();
+%Docstring
+Apply button
+%End
 
   protected:
 
@@ -41,7 +50,28 @@ Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
 
 
   private:
-    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog();
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget();
+
+};
+
+class QgsSymbolLevelsDialog : QDialog
+{
+%Docstring
+ A dialog which allows the user to modify the rendering order of symbol layers.
+.. seealso:: QgsSymbolLevelsWidget
+%End
+
+%TypeHeaderCode
+#include "qgssymbollevelsdialog.h"
+%End
+  public:
+
+    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent /TransferThis/ = 0 );
+%Docstring
+Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsDialog.
+%End
+
+    void setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled );
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology/qgsrendererwidget.cpp b/src/gui/symbology/qgsrendererwidget.cpp
index 0518aee5f0a..f288ccc00ce 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology/qgsrendererwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbology/qgsrendererwidget.cpp
@@ -251,7 +251,18 @@ void QgsRendererWidget::changeSymbolAngle()
 
 void QgsRendererWidget::showSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *r )
 {
-  QgsSymbolLevelsDialog dlg( r, r->usingSymbolLevels(), this );
+  QgsPanelWidget *panel = QgsPanelWidget::findParentPanel( this );
+  if ( panel && panel->dockMode() )
+  {
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget *widget = new QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( r, r->usingSymbolLevels(), panel );
+    widget->setPanelTitle( tr( "Symbol Levels" ) );
+    connect( widget, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged, widget, &QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::apply );
+    connect( widget, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged, this, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged );
+    panel->openPanel( widget );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  QgsSymbolLevelsDialog dlg( r, r->usingSymbolLevels(), panel );
   if ( dlg.exec() )
   {
     emit widgetChanged();
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology/qgsrulebasedrendererwidget.cpp b/src/gui/symbology/qgsrulebasedrendererwidget.cpp
index bc1fc68d567..13f13997793 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology/qgsrulebasedrendererwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbology/qgsrulebasedrendererwidget.cpp
@@ -396,7 +396,19 @@ void QgsRuleBasedRendererWidget::keyPressEvent( QKeyEvent *event )
 
 void QgsRuleBasedRendererWidget::setRenderingOrder()
 {
-  QgsSymbolLevelsDialog dlg( mRenderer, true, this );
+  QgsPanelWidget *panel = QgsPanelWidget::findParentPanel( this );
+  if ( panel && panel->dockMode() )
+  {
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget *widget = new QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( mRenderer, true, panel );
+    widget->setForceOrderingEnabled( true );
+    widget->setPanelTitle( tr( "Symbol Levels" ) );
+    connect( widget, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged, widget, &QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::apply );
+    connect( widget, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged, this, &QgsPanelWidget::widgetChanged );
+    panel->openPanel( widget );
+    return;
+  }
+
+  QgsSymbolLevelsDialog dlg( mRenderer, true, panel );
   dlg.setForceOrderingEnabled( true );
   if ( dlg.exec() )
   {
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.cpp b/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.cpp
index 16c54f90cef..cc8991ba163 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.cpp
@@ -23,28 +23,23 @@
 #include <QTableWidgetItem>
 #include <QItemDelegate>
 #include <QSpinBox>
-
+#include <QDialogButtonBox>
 
 
 ////////////////
 
-QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent )
-  : QDialog( parent )
+QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent )
+  : QgsPanelWidget( parent )
   , mRenderer( renderer )
   , mForceOrderingEnabled( false )
 {
   setupUi( this );
 
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  restoreGeometry( settings.value( QStringLiteral( "Windows/symbolLevelsDlg/geometry" ) ).toByteArray() );
-
   tableLevels->setItemDelegate( new SpinBoxDelegate( this ) );
 
   chkEnable->setChecked( usingSymbolLevels );
 
-  connect( chkEnable, &QAbstractButton::clicked, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::updateUi );
-  connect( buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::accepted, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::apply );
-  connect( buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::helpRequested, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::showHelp );
+  connect( chkEnable, &QAbstractButton::clicked, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::updateUi );
 
   if ( mRenderer )
   {
@@ -89,16 +84,10 @@ QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool
 
   populateTable();
 
-  connect( tableLevels, &QTableWidget::cellChanged, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::renderingPassChanged );
+  connect( tableLevels, &QTableWidget::cellChanged, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::renderingPassChanged );
 }
 
-QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::~QgsSymbolLevelsDialog()
-{
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "Windows/symbolLevelsDlg/geometry" ), saveGeometry() );
-}
-
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::populateTable()
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::populateTable()
 {
   for ( int row = 0; row < mList.count(); row++ )
   {
@@ -128,12 +117,13 @@ void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::populateTable()
 
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::updateUi()
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::updateUi()
 {
   tableLevels->setEnabled( chkEnable->isChecked() );
+  emit widgetChanged();
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::apply()
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::apply()
 {
   for ( int i = 0; i < mList.count(); i++ )
   {
@@ -147,7 +137,7 @@ void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::apply()
   mRenderer->setUsingSymbolLevels( usingLevels() );
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::setDefaultLevels()
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::setDefaultLevels()
 {
   for ( int i = 0; i < mList.count(); i++ )
   {
@@ -159,12 +149,12 @@ void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::setDefaultLevels()
   }
 }
 
-bool QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::usingLevels() const
+bool QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::usingLevels() const
 {
   return chkEnable->isChecked();
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::renderingPassChanged( int row, int column )
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::renderingPassChanged( int row, int column )
 {
   if ( row < 0 || row >= mList.count() )
     return;
@@ -172,9 +162,11 @@ void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::renderingPassChanged( int row, int column )
   if ( column < 0 || column > sym->symbolLayerCount() )
     return;
   sym->symbolLayer( column - 1 )->setRenderingPass( tableLevels->item( row, column )->text().toInt() );
+
+  emit widgetChanged();
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled )
+void QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled )
 {
   mForceOrderingEnabled = enabled;
   if ( enabled )
@@ -186,11 +178,24 @@ void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled )
     chkEnable->show();
 }
 
-void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::showHelp()
+QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent )
+  : QDialog( parent )
 {
-  QgsHelp::openHelp( QStringLiteral( "working_with_vector/vector_properties.html#symbols-levels" ) );
+  QVBoxLayout *vLayout = new QVBoxLayout();
+  mWidget = new QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( renderer, usingSymbolLevels );
+  vLayout->addWidget( mWidget );
+  QDialogButtonBox *bbox = new QDialogButtonBox( QDialogButtonBox::Ok | QDialogButtonBox::Cancel, Qt::Horizontal );
+  connect( bbox, &QDialogButtonBox::accepted, mWidget, &QgsSymbolLevelsWidget::apply );
+  connect( bbox, &QDialogButtonBox::accepted, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::accept );
+  connect( bbox, &QDialogButtonBox::rejected, this, &QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::reject );
+  vLayout->addWidget( bbox );
+  setLayout( vLayout );
 }
 
+void QgsSymbolLevelsDialog::setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled )
+{
+  mWidget->setForceOrderingEnabled( enabled );
+}
 
 /// @cond PRIVATE
 
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.h b/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.h
index 503b0d47aa7..a7d0cc11717 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.h
+++ b/src/gui/symbology/qgssymbollevelsdialog.h
@@ -21,38 +21,41 @@
 #include <QItemDelegate>
 
 #include "qgshelp.h"
+#include "qgspanelwidget.h"
 #include "qgsrenderer.h"
 
 #include "ui_qgssymbollevelsdialogbase.h"
 #include "qgis_gui.h"
 
-/** \ingroup gui
- * \class QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
+/** \class QgsSymbolLevelsWidget
+ * \ingroup gui
+ * A widget which allows the user to modify the rendering order of symbol layers.
+ * \see QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
+ * \since QGIS 3.0
  */
-class GUI_EXPORT QgsSymbolLevelsDialog : public QDialog, private Ui::QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase
+class GUI_EXPORT QgsSymbolLevelsWidget : public QgsPanelWidget, private Ui::QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase
 {
     Q_OBJECT
   public:
-    //! Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
-    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent = nullptr );
-
-    ~QgsSymbolLevelsDialog();
+    //! Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsWidget
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS = 0 );
 
+    //! Returns whether the level ordering is enabled
     bool usingLevels() const;
 
-    // used by rule-based renderer (to hide checkbox to enable/disable ordering)
+    /** Sets whether the level ordering is always forced on and hide the checkbox (used by rule-based renderer)
+     * \param enabled toggle level ordering
+     */
     void setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled );
 
   public slots:
-    void updateUi();
-
-    void renderingPassChanged( int row, int column );
-
-  private slots:
     //! Apply button
     void apply();
 
-    void showHelp();
+  private slots:
+    void updateUi();
+
+    void renderingPassChanged( int row, int column );
 
   protected:
     //! \note not available in Python bindings
@@ -71,11 +74,33 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsSymbolLevelsDialog : public QDialog, private Ui::QgsSymbolLe
 
   private:
 #ifdef SIP_RUN
-    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog();
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget();
 
 #endif
 };
 
+/** \class QgsSymbolLevelsDialog
+ * \ingroup gui
+ * A dialog which allows the user to modify the rendering order of symbol layers.
+ * \see QgsSymbolLevelsWidget
+*/
+class GUI_EXPORT QgsSymbolLevelsDialog : public QDialog
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+  public:
+
+    //! Constructor for QgsSymbolLevelsDialog.
+    QgsSymbolLevelsDialog( QgsFeatureRenderer *renderer, bool usingSymbolLevels, QWidget *parent SIP_TRANSFERTHIS = 0 );
+
+    // used by rule-based renderer (to hide checkbox to enable/disable ordering)
+    void setForceOrderingEnabled( bool enabled );
+
+  private:
+
+    QgsSymbolLevelsWidget *mWidget = nullptr;
+
+};
+
 #ifndef SIP_RUN
 ///@cond PRIVATE
 
diff --git a/src/ui/qgssymbollevelsdialogbase.ui b/src/ui/qgssymbollevelsdialogbase.ui
index 589530ee4eb..a312ed4a1dd 100644
--- a/src/ui/qgssymbollevelsdialogbase.ui
+++ b/src/ui/qgssymbollevelsdialogbase.ui
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <ui version="4.0">
  <class>QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase</class>
- <widget class="QDialog" name="QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase">
+ <widget class="QgsPanelWidget" name="QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase">
   <property name="geometry">
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
@@ -41,51 +41,14 @@
      </attribute>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="3" column="0">
-    <widget class="QDialogButtonBox" name="buttonBox">
-     <property name="orientation">
-      <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
-     </property>
-     <property name="standardButtons">
-      <set>QDialogButtonBox::Cancel|QDialogButtonBox::Help|QDialogButtonBox::Ok</set>
-     </property>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
+ <customwidgets>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>QgsPanelWidget</class>
+   <extends>QWidget</extends>
+   <header>qgspanelwidget.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
+ </customwidgets>
  <resources/>
- <connections>
-  <connection>
-   <sender>buttonBox</sender>
-   <signal>accepted()</signal>
-   <receiver>QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase</receiver>
-   <slot>accept()</slot>
-   <hints>
-    <hint type="sourcelabel">
-     <x>248</x>
-     <y>254</y>
-    </hint>
-    <hint type="destinationlabel">
-     <x>157</x>
-     <y>274</y>
-    </hint>
-   </hints>
-  </connection>
-  <connection>
-   <sender>buttonBox</sender>
-   <signal>rejected()</signal>
-   <receiver>QgsSymbolLevelsDialogBase</receiver>
-   <slot>reject()</slot>
-   <hints>
-    <hint type="sourcelabel">
-     <x>316</x>
-     <y>260</y>
-    </hint>
-    <hint type="destinationlabel">
-     <x>286</x>
-     <y>274</y>
-    </hint>
-   </hints>
-  </connection>
- </connections>
 </ui>