<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000906163</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NVR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NVR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001212708</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORAN WILLIAM A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>7601 LEWINSVILLE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MCLEAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>NVR, Inc. common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3150</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12850</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The transaction represents a bona fide gift of securities, thus there is no disposal price associated with this transaction.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Paul C. Saville, Attorney in fact for William A. Moran</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

