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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-08-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001358071</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CONCHO RESOURCES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CXO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001408628</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHASE OIL CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 1767</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ARTESIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NM</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>88211-1767</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5382988</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.7812</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22621995</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares were sold in the initial public offering of Concho Resources Inc. (&quot;Concho&quot;) pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated August 2, 2007 among Concho, the Reporting Person, the other selling stockholders named therein, and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Banc of America Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Robert C. Chase</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-08-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
