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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-09-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000003545</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALICO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192331</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SLACK HENRY R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 28</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEAPACK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07977</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Alico, Inc., Common Stock, Par Value $1.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10517</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Alico, Inc., Common Stock, Par Value $1.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1820</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Montac Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Alico, Inc., Common Stock, Par Value $1.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Family Trusts</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options to Purchase Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.6</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-09-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2018-09-04</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>187500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2018-09-04</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2026-12-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Alico, Inc., Common Stock, Par Value $1.00</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>187500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>225000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Montac Trust, a trust of which Mr. Slack is a beneficiary, holds 1,820 shares of the Company's Common Stock.  Mr. Slack disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by such trust except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Two family trusts (the &quot;Family Trusts&quot;) directly hold an aggregate of 1,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock.  Mr. Slack is not the trustee for the Family Trusts, but his immediate family members are beneficiaries of such trusts.  Mr. Slack disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by such trust except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents the forfeiture of stock options granted under the Stock Incentive Plan of 2015 to the reporting person on December 31, 2016 that were eligible to vest based on certain financial performance objectives. On September 4, 2018, the reporting person forfeited 187,500 options.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Henry R. Slack</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-09-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
