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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-08-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001282398</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WCA WASTE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WCAA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001475649</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Skoda Gregory J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6685 BETA DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MAYFIELD VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44143</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001476263</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Skoda Patricia A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6685 BETA DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MAYFIELD VILLAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44143</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>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>336667</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>451813</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Patricia A Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>18889</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18889</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Gregory J. Skoda Recovable Trust dated June 5, 2005</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>777778</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Live Earth Funding, LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares were acquired by the Patricia A. Skoda Trust dated June 5, 2005 pursuant to a pro rata distribution for no additional consideration by Live Earth LLC of shares of the issuer to its members. The Patricia A. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005, of which Patricia A. Skoda, Gregory J. Skoda's wife, is the trustee, is a non-managing member of Live Earth LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares held by the Patricia A. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005 of which Patricia A. Skoda, Gregory J. Skoda's wife, is the trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">These shares were acquired by the Gregory J. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005 pursuant to a pro rata distribution for no additional consideration by Live Earth LLC of shares of the issuer to its members. The Gregory J. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005, of which Gregory J. Skoda is the trustee, is a non-managing member of Live Earth LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares held by the Gregory J. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005 of which Gregory J. Skoda is the trustee.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">These shares represent earn-out rights delivered to Live Earth Funding, LLC pursuant to the Equity Interest and Asset Purchase Agreement, dated December 9, 2009, among WCA Waste Corporation, WCA of Massachusetts, LLC, WCA of Ohio, LLC, Live Earth LLC, Champion City Recovery, LLC, Boxer Realty Redevelopment, LLC, Sunny Farms Landfill, LLC and New Amsterdam &amp; Seneca Railroad Company, LLC in satisfaction of outstanding indebtedness of $6.8 milllion owed to Live Earth Funding, LLC by Live Earth LLC as of December 30, 2009. The earn-out shares will be distributed by WCA Waste Corporation if, on or before December 31, 2012, the business operated using the acquired subsidiaries of Live Earth LLC and certain transferred assets achieves $6.25 million EBITDA for any four consecutive fiscal quarters. The reporting person's indirect right to receive additional shares pursuant to this earn-out right became fixed and irrevocable on December 31, 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The reporting person is the trustee of the Gregory J. Skoda Revocable Trust dated June 5, 2005, which holds a 50% membership interest in Live Earth Funding, LLC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Gregory J. Skoda</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-08-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patricia A. Skoda</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-08-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
