<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000853816</issuerCik><issuerName>LANDSTAR SYSTEM INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>LSTR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001021069</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>LAROSE ROBERT C</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>13410 SUTTON PARK DRIVE SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>JACKSONVILLE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>32224</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President &amp; CFO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>57080</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>38.05</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>40000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-02</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>40000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Options become exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the date of grant which is January 2, 2005</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert C LaRose</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

