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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-02-24</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000019745</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHESAPEAKE UTILITIES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CPK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001608024</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Householder Jeffry M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>909 SILVER LAKE BLVD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DOVER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19904</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-02-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13476</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>105.4</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>32409</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>295</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401k Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">A portion of these shares will be withheld to account for the payment of the tax liability associated with the issuance of the shares. Such tax liability has not been determined. The tax liability, when determined, will be reflected on an amendment to this Form 4 or a subsequently filed Form 4.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 19 shares that were acquired for the reporting person since last filing through reinvestment of dividends under Chesapeake Utilities Corporation's Dividend Reinvestment and Direct Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes 14,255 deferred stock units, of which 61 were acquired for the reporting person since the last filing through reinvestment of dividends pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan. Deferred stock units will be settled on a one-for-one basis in common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 1 share that was acquired for the reporting person through the reinvestment of dividends under the Company's 401k Plan since last filing.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Beth W. Cooper, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-02-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
