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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-12-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001269021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PTLA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001379348</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Fullerton Management Pte Ltd</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>60B ORCHARD ROAD #06-18, TOWER 2</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>THE ATRIUM@ORCHARD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>238891</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001021944</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Temasek Holdings (Private) Ltd</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>60B ORCHARD ROAD #06-18, TOWER 2</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>THE ATRIUM@ORCHARD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>U0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>238891</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SINGAPORE</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-12-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>750000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>48.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6583568</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Fullerton Management Pte Ltd (&quot;FMPL&quot;) indirectly owns 6,583,568 shares of the Issuer's common stock (&quot;Shares&quot;) through two indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries, V-Sciences Investments Pte Ltd (&quot;V-Sciences&quot;) which owns 750,000 Shares and Maxwell (Mauritius) Pte Ltd (&quot;Maxwell&quot;) which owns 5,833,568 Shares. V-Sciences is wholly-owned by Temasek Life Sciences Private Limited, which is wholly owned by FMPL. Maxwell is wholly-owned by Cairnhill Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd which is wholly owned by FMPL. FMPL is wholly-owned by Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited. Accordingly, each of FMPL and Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited, through the ownership described herein, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of common stock owned by V-Sciences and Maxwell, collectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Christina Choo, Authorised Signatory, Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-12-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Cheong Kok Tim, Director, Fullerton Management Pte Ltd</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-12-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
