<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000010081</issuerCik><issuerName>BARR LABORATORIES INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>brl</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001237267</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>FRANKOVIC RICHARD</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>BARR LABORATORIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>400 CHESTNUT RIDGE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WOODCLIFF LAKE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>07677</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>73.53</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-10-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>7500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>73.53</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-10-23</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-10-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>7500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>45093</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>William T. McKee as Attorney-in-Fact for Richard Frankovic</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

