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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-10-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001065332</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NIC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EGOV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001106139</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRASER JEFFERY S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NIC INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10540 SOUTH RIDGEVIEW ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OLATHE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>66061</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>41343</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>141871</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Entity</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person made gifts of units in the National Information Consortium Voting Trust, which represent an aggregate of 41,343 shares of NIC common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person also indirectly owns: (i) 19,458,943 shares of NIC common stock which are held directly by the National Information Consortium Voting Trust (&quot;Voting Trust&quot;), which holds in the aggregate 26,100,894 shares &amp; indirectly by the Reporting Person as one of the Trustees of the Voting Trust; (ii) 6,600,608 shares of NIC held of record by the Voting Trust for the benefit of entities of which the Reporting Person acts as a manager; however, the Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership over 2,876,884 of the shares of NIC held by one entity; and (iii) 296,465 shares of NIC held directly by the Voting Trust for the direct benefit of the Crimson Tide CRT, of which the Reporting Person acts as trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Reporting Person also directly owns employee stock options to purchase 77,043 shares of NIC common stock at $2.57 per share, exercisable in two equal annual intallments, beginning on May 14, 2004; 150,000 shares of NIC common stock at $3.34 per share, exercisable in four equal annual installments, beginning August 1, 2004; and 20,000 shares of NIC common stock at $7.67 per share, exercisable in four equal annual installments, beginning on November 10, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stephen M. Kovzan, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-10-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

