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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-03-29</periodOfReport>

    <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>2013-03-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>33355</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>83319</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>2013-03-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9855</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>50.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>73464</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">33,355 shares of Belk, Inc. Class B common stock were received by Reporting Person.  9,943 of those shares were received as the balance of the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XII.  13,676 of those shares were received for the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XIII.  6,838 of the shares from the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XIII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2014.  9,736 of those shares were issued to the Reporting Person in accordance with the terms of the Belk, Inc. 2011-2013 Stretch Incentive Plan, representing one-half of the award.  The other half of the award will be issued in 2014, and has a cash value of $486,750.00.  The award will be settled in shares, with the number of shares determined by dividing the cash value of the award by the appraised value of the shares on the date of issuance.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">76,481 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.  6,838 of the shares from the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XIII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2014.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">9,855 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 XII, the first part of Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XIII and the first part of Belk, Inc. 2011-2013 Stretch Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">66,626 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. 6,838 of the shares from the Belk, Inc. Executive Long Term Incentive Compensation Plan XIII are not payable to the Reporting Person until 2014.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

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