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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001076522</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL TELEVISION INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ICTL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001337851</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Praetorian Capital Management LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>119 WASHINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIAMI BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33139</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock, $0.001 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.518</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1687945</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock, $0.001 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6720</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.5323</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1694665</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is being filed by Praetorian Capital Management LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company (the &quot;Management Company&quot;) which serves as investment manager or advisor to Praetorian Offshore Ltd. and Praetorian Institutional Offshore Ltd. (the &quot;Funds&quot;) with respect to the shares identified in this filing. The Management Company makes the investment and voting decisions on behalf of the Funds but owns no direct investments in the securities of the Issuer. The Funds directly own the shares of the Common Stock of the Issuer but do not make any decisions as to voting or buying or selling shares of the Issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Praetorian Offshore Ltd. owns 1,516,220 shares, of which 3,600 and 6,020 were purchased on February 22, 2008, and February 25, 2008, respectively.  Praetorian Institutional Offshore Ltd. owns 178,445 shares, of which 500 and 700 were purchased on February 22, 2008, and February 25, 2008, respectively.  In total,the Funds own 1,694,665 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Harris B. Kupperman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
