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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001615219</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Flex Pharma, Inc.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FLKS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001762003</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Boston Foundation, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>75 ARLINGTON STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</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, par value $0.0001</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-01-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1600000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.326</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2200000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <remarks>*Price reported of $0.326 is the weighted average price of the sales prices received for the 1,600,000 stock shares sold during the period 1/10/2019 to 1/30/2019.

**This Form 5 voluntarily reports stock sales occurring after 1/9/2019, the date after Reporting Person ceased to own 10% of the Issuer as reported in Form 4 filed on 1/10/2019.  As of the date of the filing of this Form 5, Reporting Person owns no shares of the Issuer.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>George C. Wilson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-02-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
