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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-04-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000353020</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INSITUFORM TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>INSU</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001187134</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HINSHAW JUANITA H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O INSITUFORM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>17988 EDISON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHESTERFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>63005</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred stock units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-04-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5231</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27905</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each deferred stock unit (&quot;DSU&quot;) represents the issuer's obligation to transfer one share of Class A common stock, $.01 par value per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;), in accordance with the terms of the deferred stock unit agreement pursuant to which the DSUs were granted.  The DSUs were granted under the issuer's 2006 Non-Employee Director Equity Incentive Plan, and are immediately vested upon grant.  Promptly following termination of the undersigned's service on the issuer's Board of Directors or, at the undersigned's election, a specified distribution date, the issuer will distribute to the undersigned shares of Common Stock equal to the number of DSUs reflected in the undersigned's account at such time.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Elizabeth Kovaly Willis, as attorney-in-fact for Juanita H. Hinshaw</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-04-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
