<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000101844</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL COMMERCE FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NCF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251925</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PRESLEY JOHN M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE COMMERCE SQUARE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MEMPHIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>38150</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27910</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person's direct non-derivative securities holdings includes 7,909.6202 shares held in the Issuer's Retirement Savings Plan as of December 31, 2003. The Plan does not unitize stock holdings for participants. Consequently, the shares included in the Reporting Person's ownership are computed based upon the Reporting Person's total account balance of the funds that hold the Issuer's stock divided by the Issuer's closing stock price as of December 31, 2003.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Naudain L. Machen attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

