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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-01-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001099305</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VIRGINIA COMMERCE BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>vcbi</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231480</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GUERNSEY DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>12414 CLIFTON HUNT DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CLIFTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20124</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
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                <value>Common Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.7824</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4537</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-01-18</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-01-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3630</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-01-11</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.9917</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2420</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-01-16</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-01-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2420</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.2727</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>550</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-04-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-04-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>550</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10.6727</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6600</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-01-30</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-01-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Options</value>
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            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.31</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-01-28</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-01-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Effective January 31, 2014, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of January 29, 2013, as amended (the Merger Agreement), by and among United Bankshares, Inc. (United), Virginia Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (Virginia Commerce) and George Mason Bankshares, Inc. (George Mason), Virginia Commerce merged with and into George Mason, with George Mason as the surviving company (the Merger). In the Merger, each share of Virginia Commerce common stock converted into the right to receive 0.5442 shares of United common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Effective January 31, 2014, pursuant to the Merger Agreement and in connection with the Merger, each option to purchase shares of Virginia Commerce common stock vested and converted into an option to purchase shares of United common stock, adjusted based on the 0.5442 exchange ratio.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Krista DiVenere as attorney in fact for David M. Guernsey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-01-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
