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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-04-12</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2010-04-13</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001145547</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GREER BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GRBS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001238528</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WALL C DON</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1111 W POINSETT STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>SC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>29650</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock par value $5.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-04-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>385</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>133582</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Wall was given wrong information by his broker and these 385 shares did not belong to him.  Therefore, I am cancelling this transaction and adding the shares back to his beneficially owned total.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J. Richard Medlock, Jr. POA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-04-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
