<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000075129</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OTTER TAIL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>OTTR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001191494</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MACFARLANE JOHN C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>507</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>27.49</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2934</value><footnoteId id="F6" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F6">These shares are held jointly with his wife.  See below for other holdings:
1. Indirect holding of 17,951.7241 shares held by ESOP.
2. Indirect holding of 3,050.6195 shares by IRA.
3. Direct holding of 19,958.5013 shares held in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
4. Direct holding of 2,080.5254 shares held in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
5. Direct holding of 4,550 shares which is a grant of Restricted Stock.
6. Direct holding of 5,174 shares which no longer carries the restriction.
7. 52,000 stock options with expiration date of 2/22/2009.
8. 100,000 stock options with expiration date of 4/9/2010.
9. 100,000 stock options with expiration date of 4/8/2011.    </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/  John C MacFarlane by Debra J Lill -POA</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

