PDF Bates Numbering
Add sequential Bates numbers to legal documents — custom prefix, suffix, position, and style. Free, browser-based, nothing uploaded.
Upload your PDF for Bates numbering
PDF up to 100 MB · Processed locally — nothing uploaded
Add professional Bates numbers to any PDF online for free — no software, no uploads. Configure prefix, suffix, zero padding, increment, position, font, colour, and page range. Built for legal professionals who need sequential document identification without uploading confidential files to cloud services.
How to Add Bates Numbers to a PDF
Upload your PDF using the drag-and-drop area or browse button.
Set your Bates prefix (e.g. CASE-, EXHIBIT-, ABC-), starting number, increment, and zero-padding width (4–8 digits).
Choose a stamp position: top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, or bottom-right. Fine-tune with X/Y offsets.
Configure font (Helvetica, Times, or Courier), size, bold, italic, colour, and opacity.
Select the page range: all pages, odd pages, even pages, skip first page, or a custom range.
Click Apply Bates Numbers and download your stamped PDF instantly.
Why choose PDFCrush for how to add bates numbers to a pdf?
Full control over prefix, suffix, starting number, increment, and zero-padding
Six position options plus precise X/Y offset controls
Helvetica, Times Roman, and Courier with bold, italic, custom colour and opacity
Page range controls: all, odd, even, skip-first, or custom ranges
100% private — confidential legal files never leave your device
Works in any browser on desktop, Chromebook, or mobile
Free with no registration, watermarks, or file size limits
Common use cases
Numbering exhibits and discovery documents for litigation
Stamping deposition transcripts for court production
Numbering contract pages for execution and filing
Organising due diligence document sets for transactions
Numbering audit evidence files for compliance review
Sequential stamping of medical records for legal proceedings
Your privacy is protected
All Bates numbering runs client-side in your browser using pdf-lib and WebAssembly. Your documents — including sensitive legal files, contracts, and discovery materials — are never uploaded to or stored on any server. When you close the tab, all data is cleared from memory.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bates numbering?
Bates numbering is a sequential identification system used in legal, medical, and business documents. Each page receives a unique alphanumeric identifier — for example, CASE-000001 — making documents easy to reference, track, and produce in litigation.
How do I add Bates numbers to a PDF?
Upload your PDF, configure your prefix, starting number, padding, position, and style, then click Apply Bates Numbers. The stamped PDF downloads instantly — entirely in your browser.
Can I add Bates numbers without Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. PDFCrush processes everything locally in your browser using pdf-lib. No Adobe subscription or software installation required.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. All processing runs entirely in your browser. Your documents never leave your device — essential for confidential legal files.
Can I customise the Bates prefix?
Yes. You can set any prefix (e.g. CASE-, ABC-, EXHIBIT-), an optional suffix, custom starting number, increment, and zero-padding width.
Can I start numbering from a custom number?
Yes. Set any starting number and increment. For example, start at 1000 with increment 5 to produce 1000, 1005, 1010 …
What page range options are available?
All pages, odd pages, even pages, skip first page, or a custom range such as 1-10, 15, 20-30.
What Bates stamp formats are supported?
Any combination of prefix, zero-padded number (4–8 digits), and suffix. Examples: ABC-000001, CASE-0001-A, EXHIBIT000001.
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