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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-04</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2009-12-08</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000875657</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ULTRALIFE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ULBI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001245187</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HANNA PATRICK R JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2000 TECHNOLOGY PARKAWY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14513</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18441</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Hanna's 12/4/09 option grant of 12,000 shares was inadvertently reported in both Table I and Table II. The correct number of shares benefically owned by Mr. Hanna as of 12/4/09 as reported in Table I was 18,441 not 30,441.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Philip A. Fain, attorney-in-fact for Patrick R. Hanna, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-01-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
