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

    <schemaVersion>X0508</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2025-04-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001156041</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HOUSTON AMERICAN ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HUSA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001508592</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LONGO PETER F.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O HOUSTON AMERICAN ENERGY CORP.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>801 TRAVIS STREET, SUITE 1425</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO and President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>0</aff10b5One>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.63</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-01-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9202.45</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2025-07-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2035-01-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>9202.45</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>31522.4</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.41</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10638.3</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2025-08-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2035-02-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10638.3</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>42160.7</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.07</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-03-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14018.69</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2025-09-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2035-03-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14018.69</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>56179.39</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.56</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2025-04-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>26785.71</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2025-10-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2035-04-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>26787.71</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>82965.1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On January 15, 2025, the reporting person received a grant of options to acquire a number of shares of the Company's common stock equal to $15,000 divided by the then trading price per share of the Company's common stock, which was $1.63 per share (the trading price for the last business day before the grant date).  Therefore, on January 15, 2025, 9,202.45 options were granted to the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The options were granted on January 15, 2025 and are exercisable six months from the date of grant.  The options vest 20% on the date of grant and 80% nine months from the date of grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On February 15, 2025, the reporting person received a grant of options to acquire a number of shares of the Company's common stock equal to $15,000 divided by the then trading price per share of the Company's common stock, which was $1.41 per share (the trading price for the last business day before the grant date).  Therefore, on February 15, 2025, 10,638.30 options were granted to the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The options were granted on February 15, 2025 and are exercisable six months from the date of grant.  The options vest 20% on the date of grant and 80% nine months from the date of grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">On March 15, 2025, the reporting person received a grant of options to acquire a number of shares of the Company's common stock equal to $15,000 divided by the then trading price per share of the Company's common stock, which was $1.07 per share (the trading price for the last business day before the grant date).  Therefore, on March 15, 2025, 14,018.69 options were granted to the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The options were granted on March 15, 2025 and are exercisable six months from the date of grant. The options vest 20% on the date of grant and 80% nine months from the date of grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">On April 15, 2025, the reporting person received a grant of options to acquire a number of shares of the Company's common stock equal to $15,000 divided by the then trading price per share of the Company's common stock, which was $0.56 per share (the trading price for the last business day before the grant date).  Therefore, on April 15, 2025, 26,785.71 options were granted to the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The options were granted on April 15, 2025 and are exercisable six months from the date of grant.  The options vest 20% on the date of grant and 80% nine months from the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Peter F. Longo</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2025-04-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
