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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-17</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000819913</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HAF.EC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001239430</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIENEK TIMOTHY A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>777 W. MAIN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FORT WORTH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>PRESIDENT</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>17354</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>.40</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22354</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>232646</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>.40</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>255000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>.40</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-17</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>17354</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-17</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-09-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>COMMON STOCK</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>17354</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">INCLUDES ALLOCABLE PORTION OF OVERSUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>STEVEN D. DAVIDSON AS ATTORNEY-IN-FACT FOR TIMOTHY A. BIENEK</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

