<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-12-15</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000023675</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CNF INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CNF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001201937</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILLIFORD JOHN H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 LAGOON DRIVE, #3001 LAGOON DRIVE, #300</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>REDWOOD CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94065</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-15</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-12-15</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>22000.0000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>32.87</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>93038.0000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-15</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-12-15</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>5.6570</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>879.1340</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>401(k) Plan</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">In addition to the 93,038 common shares directly owned and the 879.1340 common shares indirecly owned in the 401(k) Plan, 179.006
 shares of preferred stock is indirectly owned in the Series B Plan.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">These shares were acquired under the CNF Thrift and Stock Plan at a price of $32.87 per share, during the third and fourth quarte
rs of 2003, in transactions that were exempt from Section 16(b) by virtue of Rule 16(b)-3.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Eberhard G.H. Schmoller, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-12-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

