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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-03-27</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2012-03-28</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001051771</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BELK INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NONE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARLEY BRIAN T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BELK, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2801 WEST TYVOLA ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28217-4500</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP &amp; CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34068</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>117537</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7829</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>40.80</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>109708</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">34,068 total shares of Belk, Inc. Class B common stock were received by the Reporting Person.  14,181 of those shares were received as the balance of the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XI.  19,887 of those shares were received for the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII.  9,943 of the shares from the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2013.  The Form 4 originally filed reported only vested shares awarded net of shares withheld for taxes and did not include shares that were going to vest in 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">107,594 shares of Class B common stock are held in Reporting Person's name and/or as joint tenants with his wife, Mary Anna J. Marley.  9,943 of the shares from Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">7,829 shares of Class B common stock were withheld for taxes from the total shares awarded to Reporting Person from the balance of Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XI, and the first part of Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">99,765 shares of Class B common stock are held in Reporting Person's name and/or as joint tenants with his wife, Mary Anna J. Marley. 9,943 of the shares from Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2013.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Brian T. Marley by Betty F. Buchanan, POA</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-04-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
