How to Bates stamp a PDF
Published November 3, 2026
To Bates stamp a PDF, you put the files in the order they will be produced, choose a prefix, a number of digits and a start number, and let a program print the next number on every page, across all the files. Afterwards you check that the numbers run without gaps and write down which range each file got. The steps are the same in any Bates stamp program; below are the settings, the order of work, and the checks. This is general information, not legal advice.
What a Bates stamp is
A Bates stamp is a unique number printed on each page of a set of documents, such as SMITH-000001, SMITH-000002 and so on, continuing from one file to the next. Bates-stamped documents can be cited by page in letters, depositions and motions, and both sides can see whether a page is missing. The name and its history are in what Bates numbering is.
Before you stamp: put the set in order
The numbers follow the order of the files, so the order is the first decision. In federal cases, Rule 34(b)(2)(E)(i) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure says, unless the parties agree or the court orders otherwise, that "a party must produce documents as they are kept in the usual course of business or must organize and label them to correspond to the categories in the request." Many people therefore group the files by the request they answer, oldest first within each group. State rules have their own wording; the court's rules or self-help center say what applies.
- Finish the files first. Stamping comes last. Pages added, removed or redacted after stamping either break the sequence or have to be numbered again.
- Remove private numbers before stamping. Federal Rule 5.2(a) allows only the last four digits of a Social Security, taxpayer ID or financial account number in a court filing, the year of a birth date and a minor's initials. Redacting first means the stamped set is the one that goes out. See redacting SSNs and account numbers in court filings.
- Name the files so the order is obvious. A leading number in each file name (
01 Bank statements.pdf,02 Pay stubs.pdf) keeps the order when the folder is sorted.
The settings
| Setting | What it does | Common choice |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | Letters before the number, often a party's surname or a case short name | SMITH- or SMITH |
| Digits | How many digits, with leading zeros, so the numbers sort correctly | 6 (Adobe's default in Acrobat Pro, which allows 3 to 15) |
| Start number | The first number in this batch | 1, or the next number after the last batch |
| Position | The corner or edge where the stamp sits | Bottom right, clear of the page text |
| Label | Optional words beside the number, such as a confidentiality designation under a protective order | Only if an order or agreement calls for it |
A second batch, produced weeks later, continues from where the first ended so no number is used twice; rolling productions covers that. Format examples, including what to avoid in a prefix, are in Bates number format.
How to add Bates numbers to a PDF, step by step
- Open the files in the program in their final order. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, Adobe's help page "Add Bates numbering to PDFs in Acrobat Pro" says to open a PDF and choose Edit, then More, Bates numbering, Add, then add the files or folders and arrange them. Adobe's page says protected or encrypted files are not supported.
- Enter the prefix, digits and start number, and choose the position.
- Stamp and save the numbered copies as new files, keeping the originals unchanged.
- Write the index: each file's first and last Bates number and page count. Acrobat Pro can add the Bates number to the output file names; other programs write a list. What the list holds is in a document production index.
Acrobat Pro is a paid plan. Free and cheaper programs that do the same job are compared in Bates numbering without Acrobat.
Check the stamped set
- First and last pages. Open the first and last page of every file and note the numbers. Each file starts one after the previous file ended.
- The page count adds up. The last number minus the first number, plus one, equals the total page count of the set.
- Turned and odd-sized pages. On a landscape or rotated page, the stamp can land sideways or off the visible area. Look at a few.
- The stamp covers nothing. A number printed over a total or a signature date causes questions later.
- Redactions are still in place. If the set was redacted, a free leak check on the stamped files shows whether numbers are still in the text.
Whether to stamp, which prefix to use and what to produce are questions about your case; a lawyer or the court's self-help center can answer them.
BatesNumbering.app Bates-stamps a whole set of PDFs across files in your browser, upright on rotated and cropped pages, writes the index with each file's range, page count and SHA-256 as a PDF and a CSV, and in the same pass looks for Social Security, account and card numbers to remove; the first 10 pages are free.
Common questions
How do you Bates stamp a PDF?
Put the files in their production order, choose a prefix, number of digits and start number in a Bates stamp program, stamp every page across all the files, and save the numbered copies. Then check that the numbers run without gaps and list each file's range.
Can I add Bates numbers to a PDF for free?
Yes. Adobe's Bates tool is part of the paid Acrobat Pro, but several free browser programs number a set of PDFs across files. BatesNumbering.app is free for small sets.
How many digits should a Bates number have?
Six digits is common and is Adobe's default in Acrobat Pro, which allows 3 to 15. Enough digits for the largest set you expect keeps the numbers sorting in order.
Should I redact before or after Bates stamping?
Most people finish redaction first, so the stamped set is the one that goes out and the numbers are not printed over a box. Changing pages after stamping can break the sequence.
What are Bates stamped documents?
Documents with a unique, sequential number printed on every page, continuing across files, so each page can be cited and a missing page shows as a gap.
Redact and Bates-number a set of PDFs in one pass →Or check a PDF for numbers left in it, free →
More guides: What is Bates numbering · Bates numbering without Acrobat · Bates number format and examples · Bates numbering a discovery response without a lawyer · Exhibit numbers vs Bates numbers · How to redact a PDF for free · Redacting SSNs and account numbers in court filings · Redacting a bank statement · Why black box redactions fail · Redacting a PDF on iPhone or Mac · What a PDF redaction tool should do · A document production index · Rolling productions · Responding to a request for production · Bates and redaction tools compared · batesstamp.com alternatives · RedactifyAI alternatives · Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Bates and redaction