Files never leave your device.How it works
How to add Bates numbers
- 1Drop your PDF above (or click to select).
- 2Set your prefix, starting number, digits, and position.
- 3Click Add Bates numbers, then download the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Bates numbering?
- Bates numbering places a unique, sequential identifier on each page of a document — often a prefix plus a zero-padded number like ABC-000123. It's standard in legal discovery and record-keeping so every page can be referenced exactly.
- Can I control the format?
- Yes. You set a prefix, an optional suffix, the starting number, how many digits to zero-pad to, the corner it appears in, and the font size.
- Does my file get uploaded?
- No. The numbers are stamped entirely in your browser — your document never leaves your device, which matters for confidential legal files.
Sequential numbering for legal and business documents
Bates numbering gives every page in a set a unique, sequential label so it can be cited precisely — essential in litigation discovery, contracts, and audited records. HivePDF stamps a running number onto each page with the prefix and padding your workflow requires, for example ABC-000001, ABC-000002, and so on.
Full control over the format
Choose a prefix and optional suffix, the number to start from, and how many digits to pad to so the numbers align neatly. Pick which corner the stamp sits in and the font size. A live preview shows exactly how the first number will look before you apply it.
Notes and limits
Everything runs locally, so even privileged documents stay on your device. To add ordinary page numbers instead of a Bates sequence, use Page Numbers; to add repeating text in the margins, use Header & Footer.
Why sequential numbering exists
Before Bates numbering, referencing "the third paragraph on the page after the exhibit cover" in a deposition or brief was ambiguous the moment pages got reprinted or reordered. A Bates number is a permanent, unique address for a page — cite "ABC-000123" in a motion and everyone with a copy of the production can find that exact page, regardless of how their copy is bound or printed.
Numbering across multiple files
Large productions are usually split across several PDFs, and each one needs to continue the sequence where the last file left off rather than restarting at one. Set the starting number for each file to one more than the last number used in the previous file, and keep the prefix and digit-padding consistent across the whole set so the citation format doesn't change partway through.
Notes
Bates numbers are meant to be permanent identifiers, so double-check the starting number and prefix before applying — going back and renumbering after a set has already been distributed defeats the purpose. If pages need a draft or confidentiality mark alongside the Bates stamp, Add Watermark layers that text without touching the numbering.