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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-08-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000704159</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PAULSON CAPITAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PLCC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000898196</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PAULSON CHESTER L F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>811 SW NAITO PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97204</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000897686</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PAULSON JACQUELINE M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>811 SW NAITO PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97204</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Corporate Secretary/Treasurer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-08-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3001486</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-08-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8600</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.0004</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2992886</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Form filed by more than one reporting person.  In addition to Chester L.F. Paulson, the following are reporting parties:  Jacqueline M. Paulson (Mr. Paulson's spouse), Paulson Investment Company, Inc. (&quot;PICI&quot;), and the Paulson Family LLC (&quot;LLC&quot;).  These reporting parties collectively own over 10%.  The address for each of the reporting parties is the same as that provided for Chester L.F. Paulson.  PICI is a registered broker/dealer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Paulson Capital Corp. (&quot;PLCC&quot;).  Mr. and Mrs. Paulson are controlling managers of the LLC, which is a controlling shareholder of PLCC, which is the parent company of PICI.  Mr. and Mrs. Paulson and the LLC expressly disclaim any beneficial ownership of securities held in the name of PICI.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This transaction is executed on behalf of the Paulson Family LLC which Mr. and Mrs. Paulson are controlling managers.  After this transaction 2,872,886 shares of the securities are held in the name of the Paulson Family LLC; 60,000 shares of the securities are held in an IRA for the benefit of Mr. Paulson; 60,000 shares of the securities are held in an IRA for the benefit of Mrs. Paulson.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol A. Rice, Attorney-in-Fact for Chester L.F. Paulson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol A. Rice, Authorized Agent for Paulson Investment Co., Inc.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol A. Rice, Authorized Agent for Paulson Family, LLC.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol A. Rice, Attorney-in-Fact for Jacqueline M. Paulson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
