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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-05-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001131543</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMBIT BIOSCIENCES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMBI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001303521</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Fuhrman Alan</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AMBIT BIOSCIENCES CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>11080 ROSELLE STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN DIEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92121</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-05-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27517</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27517</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27517</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Ambit Biosciences Corporation common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One-third of the restricted stock units will commence vesting upon Certification (as defined in the Company's 2014 Long Term Incentive Plan, or &quot;LTIP&quot;) that the applicable Performance Goal (which, in each case relates to the Issuer's common stock achieving a pre-determined market price) has been achieved for the first time, as further described in the LTIP. The restricted stock units that commence vesting upon such Certification will vest in three equal installments on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of first achievement of such Performance Goal, subject to the Participant's Continuous Service (as defined in the LTIP) through each vesting date and subject to potential acceleration as described in the LTIP.  If a Performance Goal is not achieved prior to December 31, 2017 ( the &quot;Performance Period&quot;), the portion that would otherwise have vested upon achieving such Performance Goal shall be terminated immediately as of the end of the Performance Period.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Cath Bovenizer, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-05-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
