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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-07-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001173489</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CEVA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CEVA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231212</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCMANAMON PETER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CEVA, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1174 CASTRO STREET, SUITE 210</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MOUNTAIN VIEW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94040</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</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-07-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3373</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10494</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>272085</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Shariva Limited Partnership</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents restricted stock units that were granted pursuant to the company's 2011 Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the contingent right to receive one share of CEVA common stock upon vesting of the unit. 50% of the RSU's granted will vest on 2nd July 2021 with the remainder vesting on 2nd July 2022.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents 4,592 shares outstanding and 5,902 unvested RSUs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These shares are held by a family limited partnership called Shariva Limited Partnership, of which Shariva Limited is the general partner and the reporting person and his spouse are the sole owners of Shariva Limited, and the reporting person, his spouse and his three children are the limited partners of Shariva Limited Partnership. Based on the terms of the Shariva Limited Partnership, the CEVA common stock are held 49.95% each by the reporting person and his spouse and 0.1% by Shariva Limited.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Peter McManamon</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-07-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
