Add Bates Numbering to PDF Online

Add Bates numbering to PDF files in your browser. Choose the prefix, suffix, starting number, digit count, position, font, color, opacity, margin, cover page setting, and date stamp before downloading a ZIP.

Last updated: May 2026 | By Patchworkr Team

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Why Use Bates Numbering?

Bates numbering gives each page a unique identifier, which makes PDF sets easier to organize, review, and reference.

It is especially useful for legal documents, discovery files, evidence bundles, and any batch of PDFs that needs consistent page-level identification.

Bates numbering can help you:

  • Create unique identifiers across one or more PDFs
  • Keep document sets easier to review and cite
  • Export a ZIP with numbered PDFs and a CSV log
  • Process files locally in your browser

Apply Bates Numbering to PDF Files

The tool writes Bates numbers directly onto each page, then packages the numbered PDFs into a ZIP download. A CSV log is included so you can track the file name, start Bates number, end Bates number, page count, and timestamp.

You can also preview the first file before processing the batch, so you can check how the numbering looks with your chosen settings.

Use Bates Numbering for Legal and Discovery Documents

Bates numbering is commonly used in legal proceedings, discovery bundles, evidence files, medical records, and document reviews. Assigning unique identifiers to every page makes large document sets easier to organise, cite, and reference.

If you need to number discovery documents, create a Bates stamp PDF, or prepare a Bates label PDF for review, this tool gives you a simple browser-based workflow.

Customise Bates Settings Before Downloading

Prefix and Suffix let you wrap the sequence with text, while Start Number and Number of Digits control how the Bates string begins and how it is padded.

Number Position, Font Family, Font Weight, Font Size, Text Color, Opacity, and Margin control the look and placement of the stamp.

Skip first page of each PDF leaves cover pages unnumbered, and Add date stamp appends the current date to the Bates text.

How to Add Bates Numbers to PDFs

  1. Upload PDFs: Choose one or more PDF files from your device.
  2. Configure Bates settings: Set the sequence, styling, position, and cover page options.
  3. Preview and download: Check the preview, then process the batch and download the ZIP file.

Bates Numbering PDF FAQs

What is Bates numbering?

Bates numbering assigns a unique sequential identifier to every page in a document set. It is commonly used in legal, compliance, and records management workflows.

Can I number multiple PDFs in one batch?

Yes. Upload more than one PDF and the numbering continues through the whole batch.

Does numbering continue across multiple PDFs?

Yes. When processing multiple files together, Bates numbers continue sequentially across the entire batch.

Can I skip the first page of each PDF?

Yes. Enable Skip first page of each PDF to leave cover pages unnumbered.

What is included in the ZIP download?

The ZIP includes the numbered PDFs and a CSV log with the file name, start Bates number, end Bates number, page count, and timestamp.

Can I change the starting number?

Yes. Use Start Number to begin the Bates sequence where you want.

Can I use a custom prefix or suffix?

Yes. Use the Prefix and Suffix fields to add text before or after each Bates number.

Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?

No. Processing happens locally in your browser.

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