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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-08-14</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001140536</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIS TOWERS WATSON PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WLTW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001223628</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ONEILL BRENDAN R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WILLIS GROUP LIMITED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>51 LIME STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LONDON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>X0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>EC3M 7DQ</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>UNITED KINGDOM</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-08-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>991</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17302</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-08-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>514</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>151.31</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16788</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares, nominal value $0.000304635 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-08-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>150.9226</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11788</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Comprised of 991 restricted share units (&quot;RSUs&quot;), which represent the right to receive ordinary shares, par value $0.000304635 per share, of the Issuer. The RSUs shall vest in full on August 14, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Withholding of shares by Issuer incident to the tax payment related to the vesting and settlement of 1,069 RSUs granted on August 15, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 991 RSUs noted in footnote (1).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $150.84 to $150.98. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares and prices at which the transaction was effected.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Brendan R. O'Neill by Elaine Wiggins, Attorney-in-Fact (power of attorney previously filed)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
