Coworking House Rules: Template, Examples, and Best Practices

TL;DR

• Set clear coworking house rules for common friction points—like phone booths, guests, and kitchen use—to keep your community safe, respectful, and conflict-free.
• Make rules simple, kind, and visible: publish them in your app, onboarding materials, and on signage so members actually follow them.
• Keep rules current: review quarterly, log changes, and relaunch updates so your guidelines evolve alongside your community.

You probably didn’t get into coworking because you wanted to spend your time writing rules.

And yet here you are—because without them, things get messy fast. From phone booths that turn into private offices, to mystery leftovers in the fridge, to “just one guest” becoming three, it only takes a few small issues to disrupt the flow of your space.

Clear house guidelines keep everyone safe, respectful, and conflict-free. They also protect your staff’s time and ensure your community thrives. It’s no wonder that more than 90% of coworking spaces rely on them.

If you’re opening your first coworking space (or refining your existing one), now is the moment to create rules that are simple, fair, and easy to enforce. In this guide, you’ll learn how to write coworking house rules your members will actually follow.

What are coworking house rules?

Coworking house rules outline how people should behave in and interact with your space. It typically comes in the form of a digital and/or printed document that is shared with members when they join.

Rules and regulations will usually cover things like:

• Community guidelines
• Kitchen processes
• Space access
• Guest policy
• WiFi and printing
• Amenity access

Coworking guidelines format

The most common format we see for coworking rules and regulations is a digital PDF or Google Doc that is sent via email to members. It’s also a good idea to post your house rules publicly on your website somewhere, similar to how Vibe Coworks did it on their site.

In terms of length and other formatting, there’s really no special formula. Some spaces opt for in-depth house rules that cover every aspect of the space in a 10-page document, while others prefer a more succinct set of guidelines with additional process documents as needed. 

Neither is better than the other. Focus instead on making your rules as long or as short as needed to cover all the necessities.

Why do you need clear coworking rules?

People like structure. When they know what to do and what to expect, they are more likely to feel safe and comfortable in a given environment.

Having clearly documented guidelines for your coworking space can:

• Minimize the time you spend answering member questions
• Foster community through respectful interactions
• Help people feel safe by setting clear expectations
• Create a welcoming environment for everyone

They also help protect your team and your community manager from feeling like “the bad guy”. It’s not about enforcing their rules, it’s about enforcing the house rules. This protects not just you and your space, but your team as well.

What should your coworking space rules and regulations include?

Again, there is no perfect answer here. In fact, you’re likely to make up the rules as you go, and document them accordingly. 

But the beautiful thing about your community guidelines is that they are yours. This means that you can make them into whatever you want them to be.

So rather than give you a long list of things you should include, we’ll share with you a few examples of house rules you can look at for inspiration.

• Desk Coworking House Rules
• The HQ Cowork House Rules
• Vancouver Club House Rules

If you’re in our Facebook community, we’d also highly recommend asking for some suggestions on how to write your house rules there! The group is always happy to share their insights and knowledge with others.

Examples of community guidelines in a coworking space

Real rule in practice: kitchen

“Label your food with your name + date. The fridge is cleared Fridays at 6 pm; unlabeled items are discarded.”

Real rule in practice: internet & bandwidth

“No unlawful or abusive use. If usage affects others, we’ll ask you to pause; repeat abuse may lead to suspension.”

Tips for creating effective house rules

Here are some tips for getting started with creating rules for your coworking space. Remember, your house rules are a living, breathing document – use the information here as a starting point, but continue to iterate as you go along.

1. Include information on using common areas

Your common areas will be frequented by members, new and old. How people behave in these areas will impact the community at large. For that reason, it’s critical to map out exactly what people should (and shouldn’t) do in communal spaces including:

• The kitchen
• The washroom
• Open desk areas
• Front door and reception

Here is an example of what those guidelines may look like for a kitchen in a coworking space. 

You are welcome to use any of the dishes in the cabinet above the sink. If you do use a dish, please put it in the dishwasher after it’s been used.

Label any containers in the fridge that are yours. The fridge is emptied on Fridays at 6pm. Any unlabeled containers will be disposed of.

If there is no coffee, please let our community manager know so they can make fresh pot.

Not sure where to start? This list of coworking etiquette from Coworking Resources can give you an idea of guidelines you may want to include in your house rules.

2. Make your rules clear and easy to understand

Clarity is key when it comes to creating guidelines for your coworking space. This means clear writing, clear expectations, and clear consequences for when things are not followed (special attention on that last part).

Here is an example from one coworking space on their rule around internet usage:

Our network may not be used for any activities that could be interpreted as fraudulent, unlawful, harassing, abusive, or obscene. If you use an unreasonable amount of bandwidth, we may ask you to stop. Repeat offenders will have membership revoked. Crypto mining is strictly prohibited.

The rule is created in a way that gives coworking owners the right to set their own terms around internet usage, while informing members on the potential consequences of repeat abuse. It is clear and easy to understand from the perspective of the members.

It even includes a clause around a very specific use case that they’ve likely come up against, leaving no room for interpretation.

3. Answer FAQs in your house rules

Are your members forgetting to put their dishes in the dishwasher? Is your phone booth being abused on a consistent basis?

Pay attention to the questions or problems that are constantly coming up and add these to your house rules as you go along. Ask your community manager what questions members ask them again and again, and what they often need to be reminded about.

If you and your team are dealing with the same problems everyday, it’s probably a good idea to consider adding it to your house rules. Here are a few examples.

Consider how you can use your space guidelines in order to minimize the time you and your team spend answering questions.

Tips for enforcing community guidelines in your coworking space

Creating your house rules is only half the battle. Next, you’ll have to consider how you plan to enforce the rules in your space.

Here are a few tips to respectfully keep the order in your coworking space

1. Put printed signs around your space

Consider printing out portions of your house rules and posting them in relevant areas throughout the building. You can paste short and sweet reminders that are designed, printed, and put in frames around the space. 

Here are a few examples.

• 30 minute time limit sign in your phone booths: “This place is popular! Limit your time to 30 minutes or less”
• Dishwasher reminder in the kitchen: “Work Together! Empty & load the dishwasher to keep the space clean”
• What to do if the security system goes off: “Alarm going off? Not an emergency? Flag the community manager to help.”

Some fun signs are a nice way to give your members a friendly nudge on what the processes in your space are.

2. Go over all rules in your onboarding

The easiest time to introduce rules and regulations to members is during onboarding. This is when you can set the expectations right off the bat for how to behave in your coworking space.

Develop a comprehensive onboarding experience that includes an in-person orientation. If you’re not physically in the space, create a Loom video that walks people through the rules and is sent directly to their inbox.

Another fun tactic we’ve seen our clients do is have group onboarding sessions for all new members weekly or biweekly.

This gives members the opportunity to meet others in the space, while giving you the opportunity to go over all of the rules at once, as opposed to multiple times in a week.

3. Include your rules in your coworking app

You’ll definitely want to send your house rules to your members via a Google doc or PDF file during their onboarding. If your rules are not confidential, you may also want to post them somewhere on your website, perhaps in the footer, for easy access.

But you can take digital access to your rules one step further by making them available to members in your coworking app. This is great because:

• Your rules are now on your member’s mobile phone
• They can see them anytime they log into your app
• The house rules are top-of-mind for your members

Embedding your house rules within your coworking app is an easy way to make them accessible to your members at any time.

Learn more about having a white-labeled app in your coworking space.

4. Create a plan on how to handle consistent rule breakers

You will most likely have people who break your rules once or twice. You may even have people who constantly push the boundaries and “forget” to follow key guidelines you’ve laid out.

For these situations, it’s best to have a plan on what you will do if people consistently break the rules in your space.

You may want to have a “three-strike” policy depending on the severity of the rule that they’re breaking. For example, forgetting to put their dirty dishes away will not likely require the same level of consequences as harassing a member of the space.

Have a plan for what to do when things go awry and individuals blatantly disregard the rules in place. Better yet, have this built into your terms of service.

6. Be transparent about consequences of rule breaking in your onboarding and contract

Once you develop a plan for how to handle rule breakers, you’ll want to be open, honest, and transparent about that plan and the consequences.

Not only does this create a culture of open communication in your space, but it prevents people from feeling slighted for breaking the rules.

If your community guidelines and consequences are clearly laid out in your coworking space, then you’re likely to avoid even more conflict with misbehaving members.

How Optix Automations can help share your community guidelines

Creating community guidelines is one thing—making sure every member actually reads and acknowledges them is another. This is where Optix automations can step in and make your life easier.

With Optix, you can set up automated workflows that ensure your coworking house rules are delivered at exactly the right time. For example, when a new user joins your space, Optix can automatically send them your community guidelines document for review and digital signing. This removes the manual work from your team and guarantees every member receives the rules upfront.

By automating the distribution and acknowledgment of your house rules, you’ll not only save time but also create a consistent onboarding experience that reinforces your coworking etiquette and expectations from day one.

Learn more about automatic document signing in Optix in the 90-second video below!

How and when to update your coworking space community guidelines

Coworking house rules aren’t “set and forget.” Your community evolves, and your guidelines should evolve with it. A good rule of thumb is to review them at least once a quarter using these steps:

• Quarterly review: look back at incident reports, staff notes, and recurring member questions. Patterns usually point to where your rules need tightening or clarification
• Survey pulse: run a quick, two-question survey in your coworking app each quarter. Ask members if the rules feel clear and if there are any areas that create friction
• Change log: keep a simple “last updated” note with the date and a short summary at the top of your rules page or PDF. This shows transparency and makes it easy for members to see what’s new
• Rollout: every update deserves visibility. Refresh your signage, add the new version to your onboarding deck, and share the link in your app so members never have to wonder what’s current

Regular updates not only keep your community aligned, they also give you an easy SEO win—each refresh is a chance to republish with an “Updated [Month Year]” note, signaling freshness to search engines and readers alike.

Launch plan: 5 steps to make rules stick

Writing house rules is only half the job. The real impact comes from how you launch and reinforce them. Here’s a simple five-step plan to follow:

1. Audit top issues: Start by identifying the top five friction points in your space. Ask your community manager, review incident logs, and scan member support tickets. 
2. Draft clear rules: Write each rule in plain language, with a tone that’s kind but firm. Be upfront about consequences so expectations are clear from day one. 
3. Publish everywhere: Don’t bury your rules in a handbook no one reads. Post them as a PDF, add them to your website, and surface them inside your coworking app. Reinforce with signage in high-traffic areas. 
4. Onboard with intention: Walk new members through the rules during onboarding. Group sessions or live walk-throughs help them feel like part of the culture rather than outsiders being policed. 
5. Review quarterly: Treat your rules as a living document. Log every update with a change summary and share it with your community so everyone stays aligned.

Follow these five steps, and your coworking house rules won’t just exist on paper—they’ll become a natural part of how your community thrives.