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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-07-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001265888</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEUSTAR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NSR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001075598</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS EQUITY PARTNERS LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001322709</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Warburg Pincus Partners LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>466 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000929408</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS &amp; CO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>466 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>NEW YORK</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>100173147</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162870</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WARBURG PINCUS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>466 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-07-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>24112172</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11174865</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By NeuStar, Inc. Voting Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5654080</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The stockholders are Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, including two affiliated partnerships (&quot;WPEP&quot;). Warburg Pincus Partners LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WP Partners&quot;), which is a subsidiary of Warburg Pincus &amp; Co., a New York general partnership (&quot;WP&quot;) is the sole general partner of WPEP. Warburg Pincus LLC, a New York limited liability company, (&quot;WP LLC,&quot; and together with WPEP, WP Partners and WP, the &quot;Warburg Entities&quot;) manages WPEP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">By reason of the provisions of Rule 16a-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Warburg Entities may be deemed to be the beneficial owners of the shares of Class A Common Stock. Each of WP Partners, WP LLC and WP disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares of Class A Common Stock owned by WPEP, except to the extent of any indirect pecuniary interest therein. The address of each Warburg Entity is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Warburg Pincus Partners LLC, its General Partner, By: Warburg Pincus &amp; Co., its Managing Member, By: /s/ Scott A. Arenare</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-07-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
