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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-07-20</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001477865</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Gebauer Julie Jarecke</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 Human Capital&amp;Benefits</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-07-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3388</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>216.09</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>97796.068</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>534</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Dane Adam Gebauer Management Trust UA Feb 18, 2012</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>534</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Jeffrey Austin Gebauer Management Trust UA Feb 18, 2012</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Withholding of shares by Issuer incident to the vesting and settlement of an aggregate of 8,205 performance-based restricted share units on July 20, 2021.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Julie J. Gebauer by Elaine Wiggins, Attorney-in-Fact (power of attorney previously filed)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-07-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
