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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-03-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001254595</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST POTOMAC REALTY TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FPO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001265613</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DONATELLI DOUGLAS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FIRST POTOMAC REALTY TRUST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>7600 WISCONSIN AVENUE, 11TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BETHESDA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20814</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>66150</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>88378</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Units of Limited Partnership Interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>66150</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>66150</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>85257</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Through First Potomac Management, Inc.</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Received in connection with the merger (the &quot;Merger&quot;) of First Potomac Management, Inc. (&quot;FPM, Inc.&quot;) with and into First Potomac Realty Trust (the &quot;Company&quot;). FPM, Inc. held 233,333 units of limited partnership interest in First Potomac Realty Investment Limited Partnership, the Company's operating partnership. The 66,150 Company common shares acquired represented the reporting person's proportionate ownership interest in FPM, Inc. In accordance with Rule 16b-3(d)(1) of the Exchange Act, the Merger was approved by a committee of the non-employee trustees of the Company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Units were redeemable for Company common shares on a one-for-one basis or, at the election of the Company, cash equal to the fair market value of the shares, beginning on the one year anniversary of the closing of the Company's initial public offering.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Joel F. Bonder, Attorney-in-fact for Douglas J. Donatelli</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-03-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
