Bates numbering — sequential page IDs for legal discovery

Stamp every page of a PDF with a Bates number — prefix + zero-padded sequence — for legal discovery, document production, and case management. Customizable prefix, suffix, start number, position, and font size.

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Bates numbering — sequentially-numbered, prefix-stamped page IDs — is the standard way US litigators identify pages of produced documents in discovery. Every page of every produced document gets a unique label like SMITH000001, SMITH000002, ABC-EX-A-0042. PDFOnly's Bates Numbering tool applies the standard prefix + zero-padded number stamp to every page of your PDF in one pass. Customize the prefix, the starting number, the digit width (typically 6 or 7), the position (header or footer; left, center, or right), and the font size. Output is a regular PDF with the stamps drawn in monospaced font in your chosen corner.

How to bates numbering step by step

1
Upload your PDF
Often you'll merge a batch of PDFs first (use Merge PDF) so the Bates numbering applies continuously across the whole production. Up to 100 MB free, 200 MB on Pro.
2
Set the prefix and starting number
Prefix is typically the matter abbreviation or party name in caps — 'SMITH', 'PLF', 'ABC'. Starting number defaults to 1 but you can pick any integer (useful for continuing a previous batch). Optional suffix appends after the number.
3
Pick zero-padding width
Industry standard is 6 or 7 digits — '000001' through '999999' or '0000001' through '9999999'. Bigger productions use 7 digits, smaller use 6.
4
Choose position and font size
Header (top of page) or footer (bottom). Left, center, or right. Font size 10-14pt is typical — big enough to read, small enough not to obscure content. Stamps are rendered in Helvetica Bold for visibility.
5
Download the stamped PDF
Every page now has its unique Bates ID. Use the output for production directly, or merge with the bates-stamped pages of other documents in the production set.

Why bates numbering on PDFOnly

Standard legal-industry format

PREFIX + zero-padded number (+ optional suffix) — the format used by every major litigation production. No surprise variations.

Continuous numbering across volumes

Run multiple PDFs through with different starting numbers to maintain continuous Bates numbering across a multi-volume production.

Faster than Acrobat batch

Acrobat's batch Bates tool is fine but slow on large productions. Our worker stamps thousands of pages in seconds.

Privacy-first

Files auto-deleted within an hour. Critical for confidential litigation materials.

What people use bates numbering for

A few common scenarios. If your workflow looks like one of these, this tool is a good fit.

Document production for litigation discovery

Plaintiff/defendant counsel produces 10,000 pages of emails and contracts. Every page needs a unique Bates label so it can be referenced in deposition exhibits, motions, and trial. Stamp the entire production in one pass.

Government document responses (FOIA, regulatory)

Agency responding to a FOIA request stamps the responsive documents with sequential identifiers so the requester can reference specific pages without ambiguity.

Internal investigation and audit documentation

Compliance teams collecting evidence for an internal investigation use Bates numbers to maintain a defensible chain of reference for every page in the file.

Multi-volume case files

When a case spans multiple boxes/volumes, Bates numbers ensure every page is uniquely identifiable across the whole production. Pick a starting number per volume to keep the numbering continuous.

What you get

Standard legal-industry Bates labeling — prefix + padded number
Customizable prefix, suffix, start number, and digit width
Position: header or footer, left/center/right
Adjustable font size for visibility
Free, no signup, files auto-deleted in 1 hour
Faster than Acrobat's batch tool — runs in seconds even on long documents

Frequently asked questions

What's a Bates number?

A Bates number is a sequential, unique identifier stamped on every page of a produced document set in litigation. It typically combines a short prefix (matter abbreviation or party name) with a zero-padded sequence number — 'SMITH000001', 'SMITH000002', etc. The format is named after the Bates Manufacturing Company, which sold the original mechanical numbering stamps.

Should I run Bates BEFORE or AFTER OCR?

After OCR. The Bates stamp is just text drawn on the page; OCR runs on existing image content. Stamp-then-OCR risks the OCR engine treating the stamp as part of the document body. OCR-then-Stamp is the standard order.

Can I have continuous numbering across multiple PDFs?

Yes — process the first batch, note the last number, set the start number for the next batch to one higher. Or merge all your documents first (Merge PDF), then Bates-number the merged file in one pass.

Is the original content modified?

Pages are not altered — the Bates stamp is drawn on top in the corner. Original text/images remain unchanged. If a stamp would cover important content, increase the margin by adjusting your position or use a smaller font size.

Can I change the font?

We use Helvetica Bold by default — clear and standard for legal docs. Custom fonts may be added in a future release.

What if my PDF has 10,000+ pages?

Should still work — pdf-lib handles large documents fine. Processing time scales linearly with page count. Pro tier is recommended for very large productions because of the file-size limits.

Does it work on encrypted PDFs?

Not while encrypted. Use Unlock PDF first with the password, then apply Bates numbers, then optionally re-encrypt with Protect PDF.

Ready to bates numbering?

Free to use for the basics. Files are auto-deleted within an hour and never used to train AI.

Open Bates Numbering