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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2017-02-28</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000714603</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DST SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DST</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001463574</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hooley Stephen C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>333 WEST 11TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>true</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, CEO &amp; President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>142</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23848</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On February 28, 2017, the Reporting Person filed a Form 4 reporting the number of shares of common stock that would vest on the March 10, 2017 vesting of performance stock units (PSUs) plus the number of shares of common stock accrued as a result of dividend equivalent rights paid by the Company pursuant to the terms of the award. The award was granted on February 25, 2014 for the 2014-2016 performance period. The total number of shares reported should have been 23,777 instead of 23,706. Due to the two for one stock split on June 8, 2017, additional reported shares would now be an additional 142 shares. These under reported shares were also excluded in the direct ownership totals on six subsequent Form 4s filed by the Reporting Person on March 14, 2017, March 16, 2017, April 21, 2017, June 12, 2017, September 11, 2017, and December 12, 2017. As of January 31, 2018, Reporting Persons total direct ownership is 129,624 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Randall D. Young for Stephen C. Hooley by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-01-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
