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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001493726</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Garfinkel Dean</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>50 GLEN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 308</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GLEN COVE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>11542</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Purchase Warrants</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.01</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4500000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-10-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-09-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4500000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4500000</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 a portion of the Reporting Person's salary through the fourth fiscal quarter of 2010. The Reporting Person is deferring $45,000 of his $60,000 salary for the fourth 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>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Dean R. Garfinkel</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-10-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
