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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-05-15</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>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2079</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>767808</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>322818</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </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>12125</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>20705</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </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>27160</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </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>29006</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </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>30381</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </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>132897</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </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>20089</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F10"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Irrevocable Trust dtd 8/10/04</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>36171</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F11"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>195273</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F12"/>
                </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>195273</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F13"/>
                </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>195273</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F14"/>
                </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>586401</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F15"/>
                </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>73500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F16"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Trusts, spouse and child are trustees</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>444212</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F17"/>
                </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="F18"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Brothers Investment Company</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">2,079 shares Class A common stock were gifted by Reporting Person to a charity.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">767,808 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="F3">322,818 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="F4">12,125 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">20,705 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="F6">27,160 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="F7">29,006 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="F8">30,381 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="F9">132,897 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="F10">20,089 shares of Class A common stock are held by Katherine W. M. B. Morris Irrevocable Trust dated 8/10/2004. Voting and investment power is held by Charles Walker Morris, spouse, and Lewis S. Morris, III, Co-Trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F11">36,171 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">195,273 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="F13">195,273 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="F14">195,273 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="F15">586,401 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="F16">24,500 shares of Class A common stock are held by each of the following trusts:  Katherine Belk Morris Family Wealth Preservation Trust dated December 21, 2012, f/b/o Katherine Morris Stanley; Katherine Belk Morris Family Wealth Preservation Trust dated December 21, 2012, f/b/o Charles Walker Morris, Jr.; and Katherine Belk Morris Family Wealth Preservation Trust dated December 21, 2012, f/b/o Rebecca Price Morris.  Charles Walker Morris, Reporting Person's husband, and the child that is beneficiary of the trust are trustees of each trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F17">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="F18">1,221,842 shares of Class A common stock are held by Brothers Investment Company, which corporation is equally owned by John M. Belk QTIP GST Non-Exempt Marital Trust, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Susan N. Jamison and Katherine B. Morris, Co-Trustees (&quot;John M. Belk QTIP GST Non-Exempt Marital Trust&quot;) and the heirs of Thomas M. Belk. The co-trustees of John M. Belk QTIP GST Non-Exempt Marital 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, share voting and investment power.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Katherine Belk Morris by Betty F. Buchanan, POA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
