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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-02-09</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001140536</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIS TOWERS WATSON PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WLTW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001688814</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Gunn Joseph</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WILLIS GROUP LIMITED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>51 LIME STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LONDON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>X0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>EC3M 7DQ</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>UNITED KINGDOM</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>Head of North America</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3.9437</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3.9437</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3.9437</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Share Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-02-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7.8616</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>152.14</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>7.8616</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11.8053</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Vested shares under the Non-Qualified Stable Value Excess Plan for U.S. Employees (&quot;the Plan&quot;) settle for Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share, on a 1:1 basis on the first business day of the month on which the NASDAQ Stock Market is open for business following the earlier of (i) the date that is 6 months after the reporting person's separation from service and (ii) the date that is 30 days after the reporting person's death.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes restricted share units acquired pursuant to the participant's deferral election under the Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes restricted share units credited to the participant's account by the Company pursuant to the Plan's accrual formula, net of  the units acquired pursuant to the participant's deferral election under the Plan as described in footnote (2).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Joseph Gunn by Elaine Wiggins, Attorney-in-Fact (power of attorney previously filed)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-02-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
