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How to prepare PDFs for federal court e-filing (CM/ECF size limits, Bates, redaction)

Federal courts cap each uploaded PDF, and the cap varies: 35 to 50 MB in many districts, 10 MB in the Southern District of New York and the Second Circuit, 100 MB in the Western District of Washington since March 2026. Exhibits with scanned pages and photos go over quickly. This guide covers getting under the limit, splitting when a court prefers it, numbering pages and making sure redactions cannot be undone.

Updated September 23, 20266 min read

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  1. Find your court’s limit first
  2. Compress an oversized exhibit
  3. Split when the court asks for it
  4. Bates numbers and redaction

Find your court’s limit first

The limit is set by each court and published in its CM/ECF rules or user manual. Use that number, not a general one. PDF/A is accepted by CM/ECF but, as of September 2026, not required.

Compress an oversized exhibit

Scanned pages and photos carry most of the weight, so they are where compression helps.

  1. Open Compress PDF and add the exhibit.
  2. Type a target a little under your court’s limit — if it is 10 MB, type 9.5; if it is 35 MB, type 33.
  3. Check scanned pages and photos at 100% zoom; an exhibit must stay legible.

If quality suffers, compress less and split instead — many courts prefer several readable attachments over one blurry file.

Split when the court asks for it

Split by size breaks a document into parts that each stay under the size you choose, keeping page order. Name the parts so the sequence is obvious, for example "Exhibit A (part 1 of 3)".

Bates numbers and redaction

Numbering and redaction are the two steps where a mistake is hardest to undo after filing.

  • Bates Numbering stamps a prefix and a running number on every page.
  • Redact PDF removes the underlying text, not just the look of it. Improper redaction — a black box over text that is still there — keeps appearing in public filings.
  • Before filing, run Check a redaction on the final PDF to confirm nothing under the black boxes can still be selected or copied.

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Frequently asked questions

No. Documents are compressed, split, numbered and redacted without being sent to us, and no copy is kept.

No. Always follow your court’s local rules and CM/ECF manual. The limits above were published by the courts named as of September 2026.

Yes. Team plans are $7 per person a month, with one invoice and signature requests included.

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