⚖️Bates Numbering for PDF

About this tool

Add one or more PDFs and put them in order. Set the prefix, starting number, number of digits and an optional suffix, choose the corner, size and whether to draw a white box behind the number, and press Stamp. Each file downloads with its Bates range in the file name, and a summary table lists the first and last number of every file, ready for a production log. The next number is kept for your next batch.

What Bates numbering is and how to use it

Bates numbering, named after the Bates automatic numbering machine patented in the 1890s, gives every page in a set of documents a unique, sequential identifier. Lawyers use it to produce documents in litigation and discovery so that anyone can refer to an exact page, such as SMITH000245, without ambiguity; auditors, regulators and records teams use it for the same reason. A typical Bates number has a prefix identifying the case, client or producing party, a zero-padded number with a fixed number of digits so that numbers sort correctly, and sometimes a suffix such as CONFIDENTIAL. Numbering continues from one document to the next across a whole production, so the last page of one file is followed by the first page of the next. This tool does that automatically when you add several files in order and records the range of each. Placing the number in the bottom-right corner in a white box keeps it legible even over scanned content. Honest limits: this stamps numbers only. It doesn't redact, apply per-page confidentiality designations, create load files for e-discovery platforms or check for duplicate numbers across separate sessions, and the standard PDF font supports Western European characters only. Always follow the format your court, opposing counsel or client requires. Files are processed on your device and never uploaded. The page numbers tool adds simple numbering, the redaction tool removes privileged content and the PDF merger combines files.

Frequently asked questions