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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2017-02-28</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000714603</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DST SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DST</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189312</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BOEHM JONATHAN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>333 WEST 11TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Exe VP &amp; President of Subsidia</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>38</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6134</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On February 28, 2017, the Reporting Person filed a Form 4 reporting the number of shares of common stock that would vest on the March 10, 2017 vesting of performance stock units (PSUs) plus the number of shares of common stock accrued as a result of dividend equivalent rights paid by the Company pursuant to the terms of the award. The award was granted on February 25, 2014 for the 2014-2016 performance period. The total number of shares reported should have been 6,115 instead of 6,096. Due to the two for one stock split on June 8, 2017, additional reported shares would now be an additional 38 shares. These under reported shares were also excluded in the direct ownership totals on seven subsequent Form 4s filed by the Reporting Person on March 14, 2017, May 2, 2017, May 11, 2017, June 12, 2017, September 11, 2017, December 12, 2017, and January 10, 2018. As of January 31, 2018, Reporting Persons total direct ownership is 75,556 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Randall D. Young for Jonathan J. Boehm by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-01-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
