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

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-02-02</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000075829</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PALL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PLL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001251687</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HENSGEN HEINZ ULRICH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PALL DEUTSCHLAND GMBH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PHILIPP-REISS STRASSE 6</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DREIEICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>2M</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>63303</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Group Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Base Salary Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2162.82</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.86</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2162.82</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2162.82</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">1 for 1, subject to adjustments if the reporting person's employment with the Issuer terminates under certain circumstances prior to the fourth anniversary of the date on which the units were granted.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 720.94 matching units granted by the Issuer, for which the price in column 8 was not paid.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Date Exercisable (vesting date) and the Expiration Date are the fourth anniversary date of the transaction date shown in column 3 of this table, or, if sooner, the date on which the reporting person's employment with the Issuer terminates, or, if later, the date to which the reporting person elects to defer receipt of common stock beyond the vesting date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Mary Ann Bartlett as Attorney-in-Fact for Heinz Ulrich Hensgen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

