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Guide2026-03-224 min read

Bates Numbering for Legal Documents — Complete Guide

What is Bates Numbering?


Bates numbering is a sequential numbering system used in legal proceedings to uniquely identify each page of a document set. Named after the Bates Manufacturing Company, which invented the first automatic numbering machine.


How to Add Bates Numbers


  • Go to Bates Numbering
  • Upload your PDF
  • Set prefix (e.g., "CASE001")
  • Set starting number
  • Preview the numbering on your actual pages
  • Click Process & Download

    • Format


    The standard format is: PREFIX-000001


    Example: CASE001-000001, CASE001-000002, etc.


    When to Use


  • Discovery — numbering produced documents
  • Litigation — referencing specific pages in filings
  • Due diligence — organizing deal room documents
  • Regulatory compliance — numbering submitted pages

    • Best Practices


  • Use a consistent prefix per case
  • Don't restart numbering within a case
  • 6 digits is standard (supports up to 999,999 pages)
  • Position in bottom-right corner is most common

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