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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-07-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001206133</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COMPLIANCE SYSTEMS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>COPI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001493650</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Brookstein Barry M.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 6465</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CARMEL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93921</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO, Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Purchase Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.01</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-07-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6000000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-07-07</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-07-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6000000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6000000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Purchase Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.01</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-07-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>225000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-07-07</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-07-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>225000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>225000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Issuer has been deferring portions of the Reporting Person's salary and it has determined that it is necessary to continue to defer the Reporting Person's salary through the third fiscal quarter of 2010.  The Reporting Person is deferring all of his $60,000 salary for the third quarter of 2010.  The Common Stock Purchase Warrants are being issued to the Reporting Person in consideration of the Reporting Person's salary deferral at the rate of 100 warrants for every $1 of salary deferred.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Issuer has failed to pay interest due on a promissory note payable to the Reporting Person and it anticipated that it will be necessary to continue to fail to timely pay interest on such promissory note through the three months ending September 30, 2010.  The amount of interest that will become payable to the Reporting Person for such three month period of 2010 will be $2,250.  The Reporting Person has agreed to defer such interest payments, and the Issuer is issuing such Common Stock Purchase Warrants in consideration of such deferral.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Barry M. Brookstein</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-07-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
