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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-06-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000701347</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CENTRAL PACIFIC FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CPF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001300711</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Anchorage Advisors Management, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>610 BROADWAY, 6TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001300714</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>610 BROADWAY, 6TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001300650</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Davis Anthony Lynn</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>610 BROADWAY, 6TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001300710</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ulrich Kevin Michael</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>610 BROADWAY, 6TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10012</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, no par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1500000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2769312</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares of the issuer's common stock, no par value, are held for the account of ACMO-CPF, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On June 4, 2015, ACMO-CPF, L.L.C. entered into an underwriting agreement (the &quot;Underwriting Agreement&quot;) with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as sole underwriter (the &quot;Underwriter&quot;), Central Pacific Financial Corp. and Carlyle Financial Services Harbor, L.P. Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, ACMO-CPF, L.L.C. agreed, subject to the closing conditions contained therein, to sell to the Underwriter 1,500,000 shares of common stock at a price of $22.15 per share of common stock.  Accordingly, as a result of such sale, ACMO-CPF, L.L.C. will beneficially own approximately 8.8% of the shares of common stock.  This percentage is calculated based on 31,558,913 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of June 1, 2015, as disclosed in the prospectus supplement filed by Central Pacific Financial Corp. pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) with the SEC on June 4, 2015.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Anchorage Advisors Management, L.L.C. is the sole managing member of Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C., the investment advisor to Anchorage Capital Master Offshore, Ltd., the sole member of ACMO-CPF, L.L.C. Mr. Davis is the President of Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C. and a managing member of Anchorage Advisors Management, L.L.C. Mr. Ulrich is the Chief Executive Officer of Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C. and the other managing member of Anchorage Advisors Management, L.L.C.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent, if any, of its or his pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such reporting person is the beneficial owner of the reported securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Anchorage Capital Group, L.L.C., By: /s/ Kevin M. Ulrich, Chief Executive Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-06-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Anchorage Advisors Management, L.L.C., By: /s/ Kevin M. Ulrich, Senior Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-06-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Anthony L. Davis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-06-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kevin M. Ulrich</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-06-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
