Bates Numbering for PDF Online Free

Introduction: Bates Numbering PDF Online Free

Bates numbering is the legal industry’s standard way of identifying pages across document productions — sequential labels like ABC-000001 stamped on every page, so each page has a unique, citable reference. Trencada’s free Bates Numbering tool adds those stamps to your PDF entirely in your browser: set a prefix, a start number and zero-padding, choose where the label sits on the page, and download the stamped file. No signup, no watermarks, no uploads — your documents never leave your computer.

Preparing a production set? If you need to black out confidential passages first, you can redact sensitive text before stamping. And if you want plain sequential pagination instead of legal-style labels, you can add page numbers to any PDF.

How to Add Bates Numbers to a PDF

1. Upload your PDF — drag and drop it or click Choose File (up to 200 MB).
2. Set the prefix (e.g. ABC-), the start number, and the digits for zero-padding. The live preview shows exactly what your first label will look like.
3. Pick the stamp position (top or bottom, left, center or right) and the font size.
4. Click Apply Bates Numbers, review the first/last labels, then download the stamped PDF.

Key Features

• Sequential Bates labels across all pages (e.g. ABC-000001 to ABC-000005)
• Custom prefix, start number, and zero-padding from 1 to 10 digits
• Six stamp positions with half-inch margins and adjustable font size (6–72 pt)
• Vector text stamping — your original page quality is fully preserved
• 100% client-side processing — files are never uploaded anywhere
• Free forever, no signup, no watermarks

Why Bates Number with Trencada?

Desktop Bates software is expensive, and upload-based stampers send your confidential documents to someone else’s server. Trencada stamps everything locally in your browser tab, so sensitive legal documents stay on your machine while you get the same sequential numbering in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Bates numbering?
A sequential numbering system used in the legal field to identify and track pages across large document productions. Each page gets a unique label combining a prefix and a number.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Stamping runs entirely in your browser using a JavaScript PDF library — your file never leaves your device.

Will stamping reduce my PDF’s quality?
No. Labels are added as vector text overlays — the original page content is untouched.

Can I remove Bates numbers afterwards?
The stamps are baked into the downloaded PDF, so keep your original file if you may need an unstamped copy.

Is there a page limit?
Processing happens in your browser’s memory; files up to 200 MB are accepted.

Are password-protected PDFs supported?
No — please unlock the PDF first, then stamp it.