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

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-05-21</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001574558</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lis William</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>270 E. GRAND AVENUE, SUITE 22</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94080</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.30</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-06-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>101095</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.10</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-12-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25429</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.10</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-02-24</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>35069</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.10</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-06-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1956</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-02-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>39999</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-07-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>211820</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-03-22</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>118834</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-03-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>204299</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.80</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-02-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after May 13, 2008; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of May 13, 2008, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after December 9, 2008; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of December 9, 2008, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after February 25, 2009; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of February 25, 2009, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after July 2, 2009; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of July 2, 2009, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after December 9, 2009; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of December 9, 2009, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after May 1, 2010; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of May 1, 2010, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after March 23, 2011; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of March 23, 2011, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after March 8, 2012; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of March 8, 2012, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">The Option shares shall vest as follows: one-fourth (1/4th) of the shares vest one year after January 1, 2013; the balance of the shares vest in a series of thirty-six (36) successive equal monthly installments measured from the first anniversary of January 1, 2013, subject to Reporting Person's Continuous Service (as defined in the Issuer's 2003 Equity Incentive Plan) as of each such date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sally A. Kay, as attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-05-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
