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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-12-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095996</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIAM LYON HOMES</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WLH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001106191</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GMT CAPITAL CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>GMT CAPITAL CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2300 WINDY RIDGE PARKWAY SUITE 550 SOUTH</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30339</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common - Class A</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-12-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>23931</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>29.03</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3696086</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common - Class A</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-12-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11620</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>28.51</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3684466</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This Form 4 is being jointly filed by Bay Resource Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Bay), Bay II Resource Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (Bay II), Bay Resource Partners Offshore Master Fund, L.P., an exempted limited partnership organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (Offshore Fund), GMT Capital Corp., a Georgia corporation (GMT Capital), and Thomas E. Claugus, a United States citizen (Claugus). The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the Reporting Persons.  Each of the Reporting Persons listed herein have the same address as the designated filer in Item 1 of this Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">GMT Capital, the general partner of Bay and Bay II has the power to direct the affairs of Bay and Bay II, including the voting and disposition of shares. As the discretionary investment manager of the Offshore Fund and certain other accounts, GMT Capital has power to direct the voting and disposition of shares held by the Offshore Fund and such accounts. Mr. Claugus is the President of GMT Capital and in that capacity directs the operations of each of Bay and Bay II and the voting and disposition of shares held by the Offshore Fund and separate client accounts managed by GMT Capital. GMT Capital and Mr. Claugus may be deemed to beneficially own indirect pecuniary interest as the result of performance-based fees and profit allocations. Each of GMT Capital and Mr. Claugus disclaims such beneficial ownership except to the extent ultimately realized.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The aggregate number of shares of common stock sold on December 18, 2017, was 23,931 shares and such shares were sold by the Reporting Persons in the following amounts: Bay = 6,600 shares; Bay II = 5,000 shares; Offshore Fund = 11,031 shares; GMT Capital = 400 shares; Claugus = 900 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">3,696,086 shares of common stock is the aggregate number of shares of common stock owned by the Reporting Persons as of December 18, 2017, and is owned as follows: Bay = 1,009,710 shares directly owned by it; Bay II = 776,980 shares directly owned by it; Offshore Fund = 1,704,796 shares directly owned by it; GMT Capital = 59,500 shares of common stock beneficially owned by it with respect to separate client accounts managed by it; Claugus = 145,100 shares directly owned by him.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The aggregate number of shares of common stock sold on December 19, 2017, was 11,620 shares and such shares were sold by the Reporting Persons in the following amounts: Bay = 3,200 shares; Bay II = 2,400 shares; Offshore Fund = 5,320 shares; GMT Capital = 200 shares; Claugus = 500 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">3,684,466 shares of common stock is the aggregate number of shares of common stock owned by the Reporting Persons as of December 19, 2017, and is owned as follows: Bay = 1,006,510 shares directly owned by it; Bay II = 774,580 shares directly owned by it; Offshore Fund = 1,699,476 shares directly owned by it; GMT Capital = 59,300 shares of common stock beneficially owned by it with respect to separate client accounts managed by it; Claugus = 144,600 shares directly owned by him.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Philip J. Meyers</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-12-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
