Bates Stamp a Set of PDFs for Legal Discovery
Stamp a prefix and zero-padded running number such as ABC000001 on every page, with a preview first. Free, no sign-up, and your files never leave your device.
Free, with no sign-up and no watermark. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Apply Bates numbers — a fixed prefix followed by a zero-padded sequence, like ABC000001 — to every page of a document. Set the prefix, starting number, digit count and position, and check the preview before stamping.
Step by step
- Upload the PDF: Each page receives the next number in the sequence.
- Set the prefix: Enter a matter or party code in Prefix, e.g. "SMITH-".
- Set the numbering: Choose a Start number and how many Digits to pad to (1–12).
- Choose a position: Bottom right is the usual convention.
- Apply: Click Apply Bates Numbers. The file downloads with "-bates" in its name.
Handy for
Disclosure and discovery
Give every produced page a unique identifier both sides can cite.
Court bundles
Number pages for hearing bundles and indexes.
Audits
Reference individual pages of evidence in audit reports.
Medical and insurance files
Track every page of a claim file.
Good to know
When producing several documents, note the last number of each file and start the next one from the following number.
Merge documents first with Merge PDF if you want one continuous sequence in a single file.
Numbers are set in bold Helvetica; characters it can't draw, such as Greek or Cyrillic letters in a prefix, fall back to embedded Noto Sans.
Questions
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is read and processed by JavaScript running in your browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server, and the result is created on your device.
What is a Bates number?
A unique identifier stamped on each page of a document set so that any page can be referred to unambiguously.
Can I number several files in one go?
This tool numbers one file at a time. Use the start number to continue a sequence across files.
Does it alter the document text?
No — the number is added on top of each page.
Can the stamp be removed later?
It becomes part of the page content, which is what productions usually require.
More Edit, Sign & Stamp tools
- Thumb Impression Maker — Turn a photo of an inked thumb impression into a clean transparent PNG, and optionally stamp it onto a PDF.
- Night-Mode, Greyscale & Sepia PDF — Apply invert, dark mode, greyscale or sepia as a blend layer over each page, keeping text sharp and selectable.
- Typed Text to Handwriting — Paste text and get a PDF in a neat or cursive hand on ruled, plain or grid paper, with your choice of ink colour.
- Turn PDF Text into Handwriting — Pull the text from a PDF, edit it, and render it in a neat or cursive hand on ruled, plain or grid paper.
- Handwritten Notes to PDF — Recognise handwriting in photos of notes on your device, correct the text, and export it as a typed PDF.
- Sign a PDF — Draw or type a signature and stamp it on the pages you list, in a corner or centred at the top or bottom.