How to number the pages of a legal document pdf
- Step 1Check the court's pagination guidance — Confirm the required position (commonly bottom-centre or bottom-right), starting number, and whether the bundle index/cover should be paginated. Some courts want continuous numbering across all volumes; note where volume 1 ends so volume 2 can continue.
- Step 2Decide page numbers or Bates numbers — For navigation and cross-referencing in argument, use page numbers (this tool). For disclosure/discovery identification with a prefix and zero-padded sequence, use PDF Bates Numbering instead. Many bundles use page numbers for the body and Bates only on disclosed exhibits.
- Step 3Upload the legal PDF — Drop the bundle, brief, or correspondence into PDF Add Page Numbers. One file per run. If a cover or index should stay unnumbered, split it off first (see the edge cases).
- Step 4Set position, start number, and size — Choose the Position your court specifies. Set Start from to 1 for a fresh bundle, or to the continuation number for a later volume. Set the font size — 10–12 pt is typical for legal print legibility.
- Step 5Apply and verify every page — Stamp the numbers, then open the output and scroll the whole document. Confirm numbers appear on every page, the sequence is unbroken, and nothing collides with an existing footer or stamp. Pagination errors are awkward to correct after filing.
- Step 6Download and file — Save the paginated PDF. The numbers are baked into the pages, so they survive the e-filing portal's processing and any subsequent print. Keep the original un-numbered file in case you need to re-paginate.
Page numbering vs Bates numbering for legal work
Two different jobs. Choose by what the number is for: finding a page, or identifying a disclosed document.
| Aspect | Page numbers (this tool) | Bates numbers ([pdf-bates-numbering](/pdf-tools/pdf-bates-numbering)) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Navigation / cross-reference in argument | Disclosure / discovery identification |
| Format | Bare integer (1, 2, 214) | Prefix + zero-padded number (EXH-000214) |
| Prefix | None | Custom (e.g. EXH-, DOC-) |
| Zero-padding | No | Yes — fixed digit count |
| Font | Helvetica, grey | Courier Bold, black |
| Positions | 6 (corners + top/bottom centre) | 4 (corners only) |
| Per-page | Every page | Every page |
Placement and limits for legal PDFs
Fixed placement values and the tier limits that govern bundle size.
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Margin from edge | 30 pt (≈ 10.6 mm) | Fixed — change Position, not margin, to relocate |
| Colour | grey rgb(0.3, 0.3, 0.3) | Fixed; reads as pagination, not body text |
| Font size | 6–72 pt (default 10) | 10–12 pt typical for legal legibility |
| Start from | Integer ≥ 1 | Use to continue numbering across volumes |
| Free tier limit | 2 MB / 50 pages / 1 file | Large bundles need Pro |
| Pro tier limit | 50 MB / 500 pages / 5 batch | Most single volumes fit; very large bundles → Developer (10,000 pages) |
Cookbook
Pagination recipes for common legal scenarios. "Page (n)" is the nth page of the file; the value after the arrow is the stamped number.
Paginate a single-volume bundle from 1
A trial bundle that should carry continuous bottom-centre numbers from page 1.
Position: bottom-center Start from: 1 Font size: 11 Page (1) → 1 Page (2) → 2 … Page (214) → 214 → "bundle page 214"
Continue numbering into volume 2
Volume 1 ended at page 300. Volume 2 must continue the same unbroken sequence so cross-references work across both books.
Volume 2: Position: bottom-center Start from: 301 Font size: 11 Vol-2 Page (1) → 301 Vol-2 Page (2) → 302 … One continuous sequence across both volumes.
Bottom-right pagination to clear a centred footer
The firm's correspondence template prints a centred footer; put the page number in the bottom-right corner to avoid overlap.
Position: bottom-right Start from: 1 Font size: 10 Number sits 30 pt from the right and 30 pt from the bottom, clear of the centred footer text.
When to use Bates instead — disclosed exhibits
Exhibits being disclosed need a prefixed, zero-padded identifier, not a bare page number. That's Bates numbering, a separate tool.
Page numbers (this tool): 214 Bates (pdf-bates-numbering): EXH-000214 Use page numbers for bundle navigation; use Bates for disclosure identification of exhibits.
Keep the index page unnumbered
A bundle whose index/contents page should not be paginated. Because the tool numbers every page, split the index off, number the body from 1, then merge.
1. Split → index.pdf (p1) + body.pdf (p2…N) 2. Number body.pdf: Start from 1 → body p1 = 1, … 3. Merge index.pdf + numbered body.pdf Index stays clean; body paginated from 1.
Edge cases and what actually happens
Cover or index page gets a number
By designThe tool numbers every page — a bundle cover, index, or divider is numbered too. If court guidance wants those unpaginated, split them off, number the body separately starting at 1, then recombine with PDF Merge. Start from cannot skip pages.
Number lands on an existing footer or court stamp
PreservedThe stamp draws over whatever is already at that position at the fixed 30 pt margin — it won't reflow around a firm footer or a court-applied stamp. Preview before filing; if there's a collision, choose a different Position (bottom-right is the usual move when the centre is occupied).
No 'Page X of Y' for the court
Not availableThe tool stamps a bare integer; there's no total-pages token. If the court requires "Page X of Y", add it as a footer in a full PDF editor or your authoring tool. The page-numbers tool gives the running number only.
Need a prefix or zero-padded sequence
Wrong toolPage numbers have no prefix and no padding. For EXH-000214-style disclosure identifiers, use PDF Bates Numbering, which provides a custom prefix, a fixed digit count, and bold black Courier — the recognised look for legal Bates stamps.
Continuous numbering across volumes
SupportedThere's no automatic cross-file numbering, but you can chain volumes manually: note where each volume ends and set the next volume's Start from to the following number. This yields one unbroken sequence across an entire multi-volume bundle.
Re-paginating an already-numbered bundle
Double numbersRe-running the tool stamps a second number over the first. Always re-paginate from the original un-numbered bundle, not from a numbered output — otherwise the old and new numbers both appear, which is exactly the kind of error a court will flag.
Password-protected or privileged file
Removes encryptionThe output is an unencrypted PDF — any password on the source is not carried over. For privileged material that must stay protected, paginate first, then re-apply protection with Password Protect PDF. Note that pagination doesn't redact: to remove privileged content use a redaction tool, not page numbering.
Bundle exceeds the tier page limit
RejectedA bundle over 50 pages exceeds the free tier and over 500 pages exceeds Pro. Large bundles need Developer (10,000 pages) — or paginate in volumes, each within the limit, using continued Start from values to keep one sequence.
Scanned bundle with rotated pages
Follows page boxOn rotated pages the tool numbers relative to the unrotated page box, so the number may not sit at the visual bottom. Correct orientation first with Rotate PDF, then paginate, so every number lands where the court expects.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the format 'Page 1 of 45' for the court?
No — the tool stamps a bare running number only (1, 2, 45), with no "of Y" total. If the court's guidance requires "Page X of Y", you'll need to add that footer in a full PDF editor or in the authoring tool before exporting. For bundle navigation, the running number alone is usually sufficient and is what most pagination conventions expect.
Should I add Bates numbers or page numbers?
Page numbers (this tool) are for navigation and cross-reference — a continuous bare integer. Bates numbers are for disclosure identification — a custom prefix plus a zero-padded sequence (e.g. EXH-000214) in bold black Courier. A common pattern is page numbers for the bundle body and Bates only on disclosed exhibits. Choose by what the number must do.
Will the numbers print cleanly on legal-size (A4/Letter) pages?
Yes. The tool positions the number relative to each page's own dimensions, so it works on A4, Letter, legal-size, and mixed-size bundles. At 30 pt from the chosen edge it sits well inside the printable area of standard printers and the bounds of e-filing portals.
How do I keep one unbroken sequence across several volumes?
Paginate each volume separately and chain the Start from values: if volume 1 ends at 300, set volume 2's Start from to 301, and so on. There's no automatic cross-file numbering, but this manual chaining produces a single continuous sequence across the whole bundle.
Can I leave the bundle index or cover unnumbered?
Not in one pass — every page is numbered. Split the index/cover into its own file, number the body starting at 1 (or at the required number), then merge the unnumbered index back in front with PDF Merge. The Start from value can't make the tool skip pages.
Is privileged material safe to paginate here?
Yes. Pagination runs entirely in your browser via pdf-lib — the document's contents never leave your device, and only an anonymous usage counter is recorded when signed in. Note that page numbering does not redact: to remove privileged passages, use a redaction tool, not this one.
What position do courts usually want?
Bottom-centre and bottom-right are the common choices; check your specific court's bundle guidance, as requirements vary by jurisdiction. The tool offers all six positions. If your correspondence already has a centred footer, bottom-right keeps the number clear of it.
Can I change the font or make the numbers black?
No. The font is Helvetica and the colour is fixed grey (rgb(0.3, 0.3, 0.3)); only the size (6–72 pt) is adjustable. If you specifically need bold black numbers — for instance to match a Bates style — use PDF Bates Numbering, which stamps bold black Courier.
What if the page number overlaps a court-applied stamp?
The number draws over existing content and the margin is fixed, so a collision with a court seal or firm footer is possible. Preview the output before filing. If they overlap, switch Position (e.g. to bottom-right) — there's no margin control to nudge the number out of the way.
How large a bundle can I paginate?
Free tier handles 2 MB / 50 pages; Pro 50 MB / 500 pages; Developer up to 2 GB / 10,000 pages. A large trial bundle typically needs Pro or Developer, or you can paginate it in volumes within the limit and chain the Start from values to keep one sequence.
Do I need to verify the pagination before filing?
Strongly recommended. After stamping, scroll the entire document to confirm a number appears on every page, the sequence is unbroken, and nothing collides with an existing footer or stamp. Keep the original un-numbered file so you can re-paginate cleanly if you spot an error — re-running on the numbered output would double the numbers.
Will the numbers survive the e-filing portal?
Yes. Because the numbers are stamped into the page content as Helvetica text (not an annotation), they persist through e-filing processing, downstream printing, and any flattening the portal applies. They behave like any other text on the page.
Privacy first
All PDF processing runs locally in your browser using PDF-lib and pdf.js. No file is ever uploaded — only metadata counters are saved for signed-in dashboard stats.