A Discord server rules template your team can actually use.

Copy these rules, then fill in the blanks.

This is original starter text you can copy and adapt for your server. Replace every bracketed placeholder before publishing, and remove rules that do not fit your community. Your server rules add local expectations; they do not replace Discord’s Community Guidelines.

SERVER RULES — [SERVER NAME]

1. Respect people. No harassment, threats, hate speech, or targeting other members. Disagree with ideas without attacking people.

2. Protect privacy. Do not post someone else's personal information or share content from private spaces without permission. Send reports through [PRIVATE REPORT METHOD] instead of reposting harmful content in public chat.

3. Use channels as intended. Follow each channel's topic and pinned guidance. [STATE WHERE, IF ANYWHERE, PROMOTION IS ALLOWED.]

4. Do not spam or deceive. Avoid repeated posts, unwanted mass mentions, unsolicited advertising, and misleading or unsafe links.

5. Follow Discord's platform rules. Discord's Community Guidelines and Terms of Service apply here. [ADD ANY SERVER-SPECIFIC CONTENT OR LANGUAGE RULES.]

6. Report problems privately. Contact moderators through [PRIVATE REPORT METHOD]. Do not organize public callouts or retaliation.

7. Expect proportionate moderation. Depending on the situation, moderators may remove content, give a reminder or warning, apply a timeout, or remove an account. To ask for a decision to be reviewed, use [APPEAL METHOD].

Keep the public version short enough to read. Put detailed examples or moderator procedures in a separate staff document.

Decide what the placeholders mean.

• Private reports: choose a method that members can actually use, such as a staffed modmail channel or a direct message to your moderation team. Check who can read reports and who covers them when someone is away.
• Channel exceptions: name the channels where self-promotion, off-topic chat, or frequent mentions are allowed. Add a channel rule instead of making the server-wide rule vague.
• Appeals: pick one private contact route and decide who reviews a decision when the original moderator is involved.
• Community fit: write down age, language, content, and spoiler expectations that matter to your members, while keeping them consistent with Discord’s platform rules.

Discord’s own guide to developing server rules distinguishes platform-wide requirements from community-specific and channel-specific rules. Use that distinction when you edit this template.

Use one checklist for each report.

Keep this staff routine separate from your public rules. It works for member reports, Discord AutoMod alerts, and other review tools:

1. Check immediate safety.Escalate urgent threats or clear platform violations according to your team’s safety process and Discord’s reporting options.
2. Read the context.Check nearby messages, channel purpose, and whether a flagged message is a quote or report.
3. Name the rule.Identify the exact published rule and any relevant exception before choosing an action.
4. Choose a proportionate response.Consider severity and previous behavior. A harmless misunderstanding can warrant a different response from a serious threat.
5. Record and review.Leave a brief private note with the decision and reason. Tell the member how to appeal when appropriate.

A consistent record helps moderators spot unclear wording and disagree less often about similar cases. See our Discord moderation setup guide for a fuller workflow with AutoMod and a private review channel.

Publish, test, and revisit.

Post the final rules somewhere members can easily find. If you run a Community server, consider Discord’s Rules Screening so new members can acknowledge them. Ask a moderator to test the report and appeal routes as a regular member would.

After a few real cases, review which rules caused confusion and whether the team applied them the same way. Update the public wording when expectations change, and tell members what changed. A short, understood rule is more useful than a long list nobody reads.