<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-01-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001051771</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BELK INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NONE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001249724</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORRIS KATHERINE BELK</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BELK, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2801 WEST TYVOLA ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28217-4500</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>651794</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>334958</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT dtd 9/8/04</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14703</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #1 dtd 5/27/08</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21759</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #2 dtd 5/27/08</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35549</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #1 dtd 8/30/10</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36390</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #2 dtd 8/30/10</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37227</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #3 dtd 8/30/10</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37466</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #4 dtd 8/30/10</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37644</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #5 dtd 8/30/10</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>148368</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee GRAT #1 dtd 11/30/11</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35891</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F11"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8574</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F12"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>193478</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F13"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8574</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F14"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>193478</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F15"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>184902</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F16"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>598473</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F17"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trustee</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>444212</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F18"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Milburn Investment Company</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1221842</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F19"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Brothers Investment Company</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">651,794 shares of Class A common stock are held in Reporting Person's name and/or Katherine Whitner McKay Belk Morris, Trustee U/A dated December 28, 1993, Reporting Person's grantor trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">334,958 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine B. Morris Grantor Retained Annuity Trust dated September 8, 2004.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">14,703 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine Belk Morris 2008 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number One dated May 27, 2008. Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">21,759 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine Belk Morris 2008 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number Two dated May 27, 2008. Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">35,549 shares of Class A common stock are held Katherine Belk Morris 2010 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number One dated August 30, 2010.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">36,390 shares of Class A common stock are held Katherine Belk Morris 2010 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number Two dated August 30, 2010.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">37,227 shares of Class A common stock are held Katherine Belk Morris 2010 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number Three dated August 30, 2010.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">37,466 shares of Class A common stock are held Katherine Belk Morris 2010 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number Four dated August 30, 2010.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">37,644 shares of Class A common stock are held Katherine Belk Morris 2010 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number Five dated August 30, 2010.  Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F10">148,368 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine Belk Morris 2011 Grantor Retained Annuity Trust Number One dated Nov. 30, 2011. Reporting Person is the Trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">35,891 shares of Class A common stock are held by Reporting Person's spouse, Charles Walker Morris and/or Charles Walker Morris Revocable Trust dated September 8, 2004, his grantor trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F12">8,574 shares of Class A common stock were received by the Trustees of Miss Katherine Belk Morris Irrevocable Trust dated January 10, 2003.  Voting and investment power is vested in Katherine Belk Morris and Charles Walker Morris, the Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F13">193,478 shares of Class A common stock are held by Miss Katherine Belk Morris Irrevocable Trust dated January 10, 2003.  Voting and investment power is vested in Katherine Belk Morris and Charles Walker Morris, the Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F14">8,574 shares of Class A common stock were received by the Trustees of Charles Walker Morris, Jr. Irrevocable Trust dated May 25, 2005.  Katherine Belk Morris and Charles Walker Morris are the Trustees of said trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F15">193,478 shares are Class A common stock are held by Charles Walker Morris, Jr. Irrevocable Trust dated May 25, 2005.  Voting and investment power is vested in Katherine Belk Morris and Charles Walker Morris, the Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F16">184,902 shares of Class A common stock are held by Rebecca Price Morris Irrevocable Trust dated January 6, 2009.  Voting and investment power is vested in Katherine Belk Morris and Charles Walker Morris, the Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F17">598,473 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine McKay Belk Irrevocable Trust dated November 6, 2000.  Voting and investment power is shared by Katherine McKay Belk, Thomas M. Belk, Jr., H.W. McKay Belk, John R. Belk and Katherine Belk Morris, the Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F18">444,212 shares of Class A common stock are held by Milburn Investment Company.  Voting and investment power is shared by Katherine McKay Belk, Thomas M. Belk, Jr., H.W. McKay Belk, John R. Belk and Katherine Belk Morris.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F19">1,221,842 shares of Class A common stock are held by Brothers Investment Company, which corporation is equally owned by John M. Belk 1999 Grantor Trust and the heirs of Thomas M. Belk.  Voting and investment power is shared by Susan N. Jamison, Katherine Belk Morris and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Co-Trustees of the John M. Belk 1999 Grantor Trust and Katherine McKay Belk, Thomas M. Belk, Jr., H.W. McKay Belk, John R. Belk and Katherine Belk Morris, heirs of Thomas M. Belk.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Katherine Belk Morris by Betty F. Buchanan, POA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
