Create a Custom PDF Stamp Free — Type Any Text, Choose Color and Angle

The Legal Document Stamper is not limited to preset stamps. Type any text in the Custom Text field — "FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY," "PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL," "ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT," "INTERNAL USE ONLY," or anything your organization uses — and it will be stamped across every page of your PDF. Free, permanent, browser-based, no upload.

When to Use a Custom Stamp vs a Preset

The eight preset stamps (CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, APPROVED, FINAL, COPY, PRIVILEGED, UNDER REVIEW, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE) cover most standard document control needs. Custom stamps are useful when:

• Your organization uses specific regulatory language: "FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY," "LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE," "SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED"
• Legal proceedings require specific markings: "FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY," "ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED," "WORK PRODUCT DOCTRINE"
• Internal workflows use custom status markers: "PENDING APPROVAL," "PENDING SIGNATURE," "REVISION 3"
• Client-specific requirements: "PROPERTY OF [CLIENT NAME]," "DO NOT REPRODUCE WITHOUT PERMISSION"
• Date-specific versions: "VALID THROUGH [DATE]," "EXPIRES [DATE]"

Anything that fits in the stamp field as a short phrase works. The tool handles up to a few words well — longer phrases wrap to multiple lines in some configurations.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Custom Stamp

Open the Legal Document Stamper and follow these steps:

1. Upload your PDF — any PDF file works regardless of content or page count.
2. Clear the stamp preset selection — or simply type in the Custom Text field, which overrides the preset selection automatically.
3. Type your stamp text — for example: "FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY" or "ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT."
4. Choose your settings:
   • Color: Red is standard for legal stamps, blue for informational, gray for subtle marks
   • Font Size: 48pt works well for longer phrases; 60pt for short text
   • Angle: 45° diagonal is traditional; 0° horizontal if the text is long and diagonal causes overlaps
   • Opacity: 25% standard; 15% if the stamp covers important content
5. Apply Stamp and Download — the custom text appears across all pages.

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Legal Custom Stamps: Privilege and Work Product Markings

Legal professionals frequently need stamps beyond the standard CONFIDENTIAL preset. Several common legal markings that work well as custom stamps:

Stamp Text	Use Case
ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED	Communications between attorney and client
WORK PRODUCT DOCTRINE	Documents prepared in anticipation of litigation
FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY	Documents shared in settlement negotiations under FRE 408
PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL	Trade secrets and confidential business information
MEDIATION CONFIDENTIAL	Documents used in mediation proceedings
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AEO	Attorney Eyes Only — used in litigation protective orders

Note: Adding a stamp does not create legal privilege — it simply notifies recipients of the document's status. Actual privilege protection requires meeting the legal elements of the applicable privilege doctrine.

For more on lawyer-specific PDF workflows, see PDF Stamps for Lawyers — CONFIDENTIAL and PRIVILEGED Without Acrobat.

Tips for Custom Stamp Appearance

A few practical notes on making custom stamps look professional:

Keep text short. Stamps are most readable at 2–4 words. "ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT" works. "THIS DOCUMENT IS SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE" becomes difficult to read at any useful stamp size.

For longer phrases, use horizontal alignment (0°). Diagonal placement works well for short words but causes long phrases to extend off-page. At 0° angle, longer text reads clearly across the center or bottom of the page.

Reduce opacity if covering key text. At 45° with 25% opacity, the stamp will overlap some page content. For documents where reading the underlying text is critical, drop to 15% opacity. The stamp is still clearly visible but the text beneath remains readable.

Add the date for version tracking. For draft and review stamps, enabling the date option adds today's date below the custom text. This creates a clear record of when the marked version was distributed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a character limit on custom stamp text?

There is no hard limit, but practical readability limits custom stamps to about 4–6 words at standard font sizes. Longer phrases are better displayed at 0° (horizontal) with smaller font size. Test your text before applying to a full document.

Can I use two different custom stamps on the same document?

The current tool applies one stamp per session. To apply two different stamps, run the document through the tool twice — stamp once with the first text, then upload the stamped output and stamp again with the second text.

Will the custom stamp appear in color when printed?

Yes, if you print in color. On a black-and-white printer, color stamps print as shades of gray. For grayscale printing, choosing gray or black as the stamp color gives more predictable printed output.

Can I create a stamp that includes my name and the date automatically?

Type your name as the custom text and enable the "Include Date" option. The date will be appended automatically. For example, custom text "John Smith — Reviewed" with the date option produces "John Smith — Reviewed / April 11, 2026."