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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-12-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001053369</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELITE PHARMACEUTICALS INC /NV/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ELTP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001465824</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>POTTI RAM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O EPIC PHARMA, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>227-15 NORTH CONDUIT AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAURELTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11413</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-12-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>561000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0907</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9559635</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Ram Potti is an equity owner and executive officer of each of Epic Pharma, LLC (&quot;EP&quot;), and Epic Investments, LLC (&quot;EI&quot;) (which is controlled by EP), which owns securities convertible into or exercisable for in excess of 10% of the outstanding shares of common stock of the issuer, and also serves as a director of the issuer</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Of the 9,559,635 shares of common stock, 9,328,002 shares of common stock are owned indirectly through EI and 231,633 shares are owned directly by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ram Potti</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-12-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
