-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LPmrSsh2EXYXIt0CZNgN/YLbvupMIM1sECbTmVD55qek4ZHAb1SxvFunV/YerVEU
 raK0JYaKgfHzIIkjH1Fg3g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-016961.txt : 20030813
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-016961.hdr.sgml : 20030813
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030813172002
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-016961
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030811
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030813

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MERCANTILE BANK CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001042729
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				383360865
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MI
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5650 BYRON CENTER AVENUE S. W.
		CITY:			WYOMING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			49509
		BUSINESS PHONE:		616 406-3777

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5650 BYRON CENTER AVENUE S. W.
		CITY:			WYOMING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			49509

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JOHNSON GERALD R JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001208519

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-26719
		FILM NUMBER:		03842490

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		DICKENSON WRIGHT PLLC
		STREET 2:		500 WOODWARD, #4000
		CITY:			DETROIT
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48226
		BUSINESS PHONE:		616-975-7746

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		MERCANTILE BANK CORP.
		STREET 2:		5650 BYRON CENTER S.W.
		CITY:			WYOMING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			49509
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-11</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001042729</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MERCANTILE BANK CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MBWM</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208519</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNSON GERALD R JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MERCANTILE BANK CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5650 BYRON CENTER AVENUE S.W.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WYOMING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>49509</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman &amp; Chief Exec. Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1413</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>30.55</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>59704</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOr
IndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>8.638</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>64704</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><se
curityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7159.1</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.638</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1" /></transact
ionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1997-07-22</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-07-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>36305</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">No price is entered here as this is an employee stock option</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Jerome M. Schwartz
Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-13</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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