How to read a subreddit's rules before you post
Updated · LuxOnly Creators
In this guide
Quick answer: Every subreddit writes its own rules, and its moderators (not Reddit) are the ones who enforce them. Before your first post in a new community, spend ten minutes on six things: the pinned rules and wiki, any karma or account-age minimum, verification, title format, how often you're allowed to post, and what that sub counts as self-promo. Write it all down on a rules sheet. And if something's unclear or a post gets pulled, send a polite modmail. Arguing or reposting is what gets most accounts kicked out.
Before you start
Reddit runs on two sets of rules, and you have to follow both. The first is the Reddit Rules (checked November 9, 2026). Rule 2 asks you to respect each community's rules, post where you have a genuine interest, and skip the cheating: no spam, no vote manipulation, no ban evasion. The second set is whatever each subreddit writes for itself. Reddit's Moderator Code of Conduct (checked November 9, 2026) expects mods to set clear, reasonable rules and actually enforce them. Bottom line: a sub's rules aren't decoration. They're exactly what you'll be held to.
Have these ready before you dig in:
- an account under your stage name that has already joined in a bit (if not, start with earning Reddit karma the honest way);
- a short list of candidate communities, built with our guide to choosing subreddits;
- a spreadsheet or notes app where each sub gets its own rules sheet.
This guide goes deeper on the moderator side of our main Reddit guide for creators.
The 6-step check
Run it for every new community, even one that looks just like a sub you already know. Two subs on the same topic can want opposite things.
- Pinned posts, sidebar and wiki. What: read the numbered rules, anything pinned at the top, and the wiki if there is one. Why: plenty of communities put the important stuff in a "read before posting" pin, not the short list. How to check: if you couldn't explain to a friend what's allowed there, you're not done reading.
- Karma and account age. What: look for a karma minimum (sometimes split between posts and comments) or a minimum number of days. Why: if you're under it, an automated filter pulls your post before a human ever sees it. How to check: compare against your profile. If they don't say, don't assume there's no minimum.
- Verification. What: see whether they require it and how it works. Why: in a lot of adult communities, posting unverified is an instant removal. How to check: if there's a process, follow it exactly. The walkthrough is in how Reddit verification posts work.
- Title format and flair. What: required brackets, flair, banned words, whether the title has to describe the photo. Why: it's one of the silliest mistakes and one of the most common. How to check: open five recent posts that are still up and copy their structure, not their words.
- Posting limits. What: how many posts per day or week, and whether they count hours since your last one. Why: in strict subs, going over once can be enough for a ban. How to check: write it down with the exact unit ("1 every 24 hours" isn't the same as "1 a day"). For overall pacing, see how often to post on Reddit.
- What counts as spam or self-promo there. What: links in posts or comments, whether they expect you to participate beyond posting, whether mentioning your page is off-limits. Why: every community draws that line somewhere different. How to check: if it's not written down, watch what long-time creators there do, and when in doubt, ask first.
Template: a rules sheet for each sub
Drop this into your spreadsheet and fill in one row per community. It takes a few minutes and saves you rereading the rules every time you post.
| Field | What you write down | Example entry |
|---|---|---|
| Community and date read | Sub name and when you last read the rules | r/(name) · read on the 3rd |
| Account requirements | Karma minimum (split, if they split it) and account age | Comment karma required · account age: one month |
| Verification | Whether it's needed, how it works, whether you've done it | Required · not done yet |
| Title and flair | The exact format they want | Category flair required; no emojis |
| Posting limit | The limit, with its unit | One every 24 hours |
| Links and self-promo | What's allowed and where | No links in posts; profile is fine |
| Moderators | Names that also show up on other subs on your list | Shares two mods with another sub on the list |
| Open questions | What you're going to ask via modmail | Are photos already posted elsewhere OK? |
Moderators: how to stay on their good side
Mods are volunteers who decide what stays up in their community. They don't owe you a long explanation, but most respond well to someone who clearly read the rules and asks nicely.
Watch out for shared mods. It's common for the same people to run several similar communities. Get into it with one of them and you could lose a handful of subs at once. That's why the rules sheet has a column for names: if they repeat, treat those communities as one when it comes to mistakes.
When you need to reach them, use modmail (it goes to the whole mod team), never public comments and never a DM to one mod. A template that works:
"Hi r/(name) mods! My post from today ("title") was removed, and I'd like to understand which rule I broke so I don't do it again. I went through the rules and I think it might be rule (number), but I'm not sure. Could you confirm? Thanks for your time."
Why it works: you say which post, you show you've read the rules, you don't demand anything, and you don't ask them to put it back. If they reply, thank them and add it to your sheet. If they don't, don't follow up every day. Give it a few days and hold off on posting there in the meantime.
"My post got removed": what it usually means
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Removed instantly, with an automated message | A filter: not enough karma, account age or verification | Read the whole message and meet the requirement before trying again |
| Removed a few hours later, with a reason | A mod spotted a specific rule you broke | Fix that on your next post; don't repost the same one |
| Removed with no visible reason | Could be the title, posting too often, or an unwritten rule | Check your sheet, then send the modmail template |
| Removed in several subs at once | Shared mods, or the same mistake repeated | Take a day off and go over your sheets |
| Doesn't show up anywhere, even on your profile logged out | Probably an account issue, not the sub | Run the checks in our Reddit shadowban guide |
And if what you got was a ban, check who it came from: a subreddit ban comes from that sub's mods and only applies to that community, while an account suspension comes from Reddit itself and shows up in your inbox. They're different situations, and you handle them differently.
Mistakes that rub mods the wrong way
| Mistake | Why it annoys them | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Only reading the short rules list | The key stuff is often in pins or the wiki | Check all three, every time |
| Reusing a title from another sub | Every community has its own format | Write the title for that community |
| Replying to a removal in public | It reads as calling out the mod team | Modmail, using the template |
| Reposting the removed post | Looks like you're ignoring their call | Fix it and post something else another day |
| Assuming rules never change | Mods update them without pinging everyone | Recheck your sheet now and then |
What not to do, ever
- Don't open another account to get back into a sub that banned you. That's ban evasion, and it breaks Rule 2.
- Don't DM mods one by one or nudge them daily.
- Don't post "just to see if it sticks" in a sub that bans what you're about to share.
- Don't post anything your own platform doesn't allow. Go over what's not allowed on OnlyFans; mods look at that too.
What we never do: suggest tricks to dodge a ban, buy upvotes or accounts, or let anyone post while pretending to be you. For the bigger picture on what takes accounts down on any platform, read why creator accounts get banned.
Tools that help
- Each community's rules, pins and wiki.
- Modmail, for questions and appeals within a sub.
- Your rules sheet, in a spreadsheet or your phone's notes.
- Reddit's account status help page (checked November 9, 2026), to tell whether the problem is your account rather than one community.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find a subreddit's rules?
In the community's rules list, in the posts pinned at the top, and in its wiki if it has one. Read all three, since the important stuff isn't always in the short list.
Can subreddit rules be stricter than Reddit's?
Yes. Each community layers its own rules on top of the Reddit Rules, and Reddit's Rule 2 asks you to respect them.
How do I contact a subreddit's moderators?
Through modmail, which reaches the whole mod team. Say which post, which rule you think you broke, and ask politely. No public comments, no DMs to a single mod.
What happens if I clash with a moderator?
You can lose that community and, if they moderate others, those too. That's why it pays to note which mods overlap across your subs.
I got banned from a sub. Can I come back with a new account?
No. That's ban evasion and it breaks Reddit's Rule 2. Ask for a review through modmail or find another community.
To create on these platforms you must be 18 or older and verify your identity with the platform.
LuxOnly is not affiliated with OnlyFans, Fansly, Reddit or Reddit, Inc. The rules quoted here are a summary; the official text always wins.