# Bates Numbering PDF — Free Online (PdfPixels)

> Add sequential legal Bates numbering and confidential stamps to PDF pages for discovery, court filing, and litigation.

Canonical URL: https://www.pdfpixels.com/tools/bates-numbering-pdf
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Cost: free, no signup required for core use.

## Short answer

Bates Numbering PDF adds sequential legal identification numbers, custom case prefixes, and confidentiality labels to PDF discovery sets and trial exhibits with full positioning control.

## About

Bates Numbering PDF is a specialized legal document processing tool designed for law firms, litigators, corporate paralegals, and court filers. Bates stamping (also known as Bates numbering) applies unique, sequential identification numbers, prefixes, and confidential disclaimers to each page of legal discovery sets, trial exhibits, deposition packets, and government subpoena responses. In high-stakes litigation across federal (PACER) and state jurisdictions in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, courts mandate precise document indexing to ensure parties can reference exact pages during depositions and trials. Our tool provides complete control over alphanumeric prefixes (e.g. "CONFIDENTIAL-", "DEFENDANT-"), starting numbers, digit padding (e.g. 6 digits: 000001), font sizes, and 6 positioning presets across document margins.

## Key features

- Customizable alphanumeric prefixes (e.g. "PLAINTIFF-", "EXHIBIT-A-", "CONFIDENTIAL-")
- Configurable starting sequence number and digit padding up to 8 digits (e.g. 000001)
- 6 precise positioning presets: Top-Left, Top-Center, Top-Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Center, Bottom-Right
- Optional legal confidentiality disclaimer banner applied above or below the Bates stamp
- Fully compliant with US Federal Court (PACER), UK High Court, and Australian court e-filing rules

## How to use

1. **Upload legal documents** — Select the deposition, trial exhibit, contract dossier, or discovery packet.
2. **Configure Bates sequence** — Specify custom prefix (e.g. "CASE-"), starting number (e.g. 1), and digit padding (e.g. 6 digits).
3. **Choose placement & style** — Select positioning (Top-Right, Bottom-Right, etc.), font size, and optional confidentiality banner.
4. **Download stamped PDF** — Save your court-ready Bates-stamped PDF ready for filing and exchange.

## FAQ

### What is Bates numbering and why is it required in legal practice?

Bates numbering is a method of labeling each page of a legal document collection with a unique sequential identifier (e.g. "PLTF-000452"). It ensures lawyers and judges can pinpoint exact evidentiary pages during proceedings without ambiguity.

### Can I add a prefix like "DEF-EXHIBIT-" before the number?

Yes. You can enter any custom alphanumeric prefix, which will be prepended to the padded sequential number on every page.

### Does Bates stamping alter the underlying text of my PDF?

No. The stamp is overlaid into the document margin without altering the underlying text, vector graphics, or embedded digital signatures.

### Can I stamp multi-hundred-page productions?

Yes. The Bates numbering engine processes large documents quickly across hundreds of pages.

## Limits

- PDF tools: 50 MB per file. Merge: 20 files / 100 MB total / 1000 pages.
- Image tools: 25 MB, 50 MP max. AI tools: 20 MB.
- Rate limits: 20/min per processing route per IP.
- Server-side files are processed ephemerally and purged automatically within 60 minutes.

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