Bates Numbering
Stamp every page with a sequential legal identifier — a prefix plus a zero-padded number.
Bates Numbering online, free and private
Bates numbering (also called Bates stamping) gives every page of a document production a unique sequential identifier — typically a short prefix followed by a zero-padded number, like ABC000001. Courts, law firms and records departments rely on it so any page can be cited unambiguously: ‘see ABC000457’ points to exactly one page, forever. This tool stamps a Bates number on every page of your PDF with a custom prefix, starting number, digit padding and corner position.
Legal documents are exactly the kind of files that should never touch a third-party server, so the entire stamping process runs inside your browser. The PDF is opened locally, each identifier is drawn onto its page on your device, and the numbered file is handed straight back — nothing is uploaded.
How to bates numbering in your browser
- 1
Add your PDF
Click ‘Select PDF file’ or drop it onto the page. The document is read locally and its page count appears immediately.
- 2
Set your prefix and numbering
Enter the prefix that identifies the producing party or matter (for example ABC or SMITH), the number to start from, and how many digits to pad to — six digits (000001) is the common convention.
- 3
Pick a corner
Choose which corner of the page the stamp should sit in. Bottom-right is the traditional placement, but any corner works if your pages have content there.
- 4
Stamp and download
The live preview shows the first identifier exactly as it will appear. Press the button, every page is stamped in sequence in your browser, and the result screen shows the full range applied — first to last.
Why use PDFToolz for this
Court-ready format
Prefix plus zero-padded sequential number is the format expected in discovery and document productions. You control the padding, so ABC000001 through ABC999999 sort and cite cleanly no matter how large the production grows.
Continue an existing sequence
Productions rarely arrive as one file. Set the starting number of each PDF to pick up where the previous volume ended, and the identifiers stay unique across the entire production set.
Privileged documents stay on your machine
The stamping is done with client-side JavaScript, so files subject to attorney–client privilege or confidentiality agreements are never transmitted, stored or logged by a server.
See the range before you send
The tool previews the first identifier as you type, and after stamping reports the exact range applied (for example ABC000001 – ABC000214), which is precisely what you need for a production cover letter.