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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2022-05-02</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001140536</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIS TOWERS WATSON PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WTW</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 Health, Wealth &amp;Career</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2022-05-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>213.82</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>97204</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2022-05-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>400</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>214.85</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>96804</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </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">The sales reported in this Form 4 were pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person during an open trading window in a prior quarter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 1,197 time-based restricted share units subject to the satisfaction of vesting requirements.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Julie J. Gebauer by Elaine Wiggins, Attorney-in-Fact (power of attorney previously filed)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-05-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
