Start your Discord server rules from a template that already covers the basics. Pick a tone, edit the list to fit your community, and copy it into your rules channel.
Clear rules make moderation easier and set the tone for new members.
Choose a tone that fits your server.
Edit the rules to match your community.
Copy the list into your rules channel or rules screening setup.
Most servers keep rules in a read only channel near the top of the list, so every new member passes them on the way in. If your server is a Community server, you can also use the built in Membership Screening, which makes people agree to the rules before they can talk.
Either way, the text is the same. Build your list here, then paste it into the channel or the screening setup.
Five to ten clear rules work better than a long list nobody reads. Cover the essentials: respect, no spam or self promo, keeping channels safe for work, no hate or harassment, and listening to staff. A short list is easier to enforce and easier to remember.
Add one line pointing to the Discord terms of service and community guidelines. It signals that your server takes the platform rules seriously and gives you something to point to.
Rules tell people how the server feels before they have read a single message. A friendly community can keep them light and warm, while a large or strict server benefits from plain, firm wording. Match the tone to the room you want to run.
The templates above give you a friendly, a gaming, and a strict starting point. Pick the closest one and edit from there rather than starting cold.
Numbered rules are easy to reference when a mod needs to point one out. Use our text formatting tool for bold section headers, and add a divider between groups of rules to keep a long list scannable. Clear structure makes the rules feel official rather than thrown together.
A rule only works if you can enforce it and members can follow it. Keep each one specific and actionable, drop anything you would not actually act on, and revisit the list as the server grows. Rules that match how the community really behaves get respected.
Most servers use a read only rules channel, or the built in rules screening under Server Settings.
Enough to cover the basics without overwhelming people. Five to ten clear rules work well.
Yes. A line pointing to the Discord terms of service and community guidelines keeps you covered.
Yes. Use our text formatting tool for bold headers, or add dividers between sections.
Yes. Edit the text in the box before you copy, so the rules fit your server.