<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-11-24</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001040719</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HANOVER CAPITAL MORTGAGE HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>hcm</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001069759</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MIZERAK JOYCE S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>HANOVER CAPITAL MORTGAGE HOLDINGS INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>100 METROPLEX DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EDISON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08817</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr. Mg. Director &amp; Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-11-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34440</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.875</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>187953</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-11-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11668</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.625</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>199621</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2001-09-19</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-09-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-09-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>24399</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24399</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2002-07-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-07-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-06-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18630</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18630</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.625</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-11-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11668</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.625</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-07-29</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-07-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityValue>
                    <value>11668</value>
                </underlyingSecurityValue>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.875</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-11-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34440</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.875</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-05-18</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-02-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>common</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>34440</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This date represents the date options first exercisable.  No transaction took place on this date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">No transaction took place on this date.  Date provided is date options first exercisable under the 1997 Executive and Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Joyce S. Mizerak</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-11-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

