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That's a really tough one because it is going to look wrong no matter what you do. There is no rule for this expression all by itself.

It's a common practice to insert an apostrophe in certain kinds of plurals--not ordinary words but special cases, such as with letters and numbers (she got all A's; my phone number has three 4's in it). Publishers have style rules that tell editors whether or not to use apostrophes in plurals like these. But a general style rule is not going to offer guidance in this very special case.

Here, you might want a separator in do's, but you can see that two apostrophes in don't's really look strange.

I have actually seen all three solutions used in published material:

dos and don'ts

do's and don't's

do's and don'ts

My opinion is that having the separator is more important than avoiding the double apostrophe, so I would choose the second one. But it is a matter of opinion. A case can be made for each. *Technically speaking, it's punctuated correctly in the opening question. "Dos" and "Don'ts" are plurals, which don't take an apostrophe before the letter s. Don't is a contraction, which substitutes an apostrophe for the missing 'o' I would go for option 1, capitalized and wrapped in double quotes:

"Jack had never roomed before and was getting a crash course in the "Dos and Don'ts" of communal living"

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Q: Does the phrase 'dos and don'ts' have an apostrophe?
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