<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-08</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000010081</issuerCik><issuerName>BARR LABORATORIES INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>brl</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001237272</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>STEPHAN GEORGE</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><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-08</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>1</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>74.51</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>84373</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>William T. McKee as Attorney-In-Fact for George Stephan</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

