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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-10-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001512375</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Maxwell (Mauritius) Pte Ltd</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CIM CORPORATE SERVICES LTD.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>LES CASCADES, EDITH CAVELL ST.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORT LOUIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>O4</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>04NA</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>MAURITIUS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001434871</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Cairnhill Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O IMM, LES CASCADES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>EDITH CAVELL STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORT LOUIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>O4</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>MAURITIUS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <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></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></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>2014-10-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2014-10-08</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1600000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>26.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5833568</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Maxwell (Mauritius) Pte. Ltd. is wholly owned by Cairnhill Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd., which is wholly owned by Fullerton Management Pte Ltd., which is wholly owned by Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited.  Each of Cairnhill, Fullerton or Temasek, through the ownership described herein, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by Maxwell (Mauritius) Pte Ltd.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Rooksana Shahabally Director, Maxwell (Mauritius) Pte Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-10-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Rooksana Shahabally Director, Cairnhill Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-10-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sio Han Boon Director, Fullerton Management Pte Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-10-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Chua Eu Jin Authorized Signatory Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-10-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
