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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-07</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000799166</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MASSBANK CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MASB</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001235384</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARSHALL STEPHEN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MASSBANK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>123 HAVEN STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>READING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01867</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>MASSBANK Corp Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1125</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.25</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1317.08</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>MASSBANK Corp Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1125</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>32.3139</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>192.08</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>MASSBANK Corp Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1400</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.5625</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1592.08</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>MASSBANK Corp Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1400</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>32.3139</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>192.08</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1125</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.25</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1994-04-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-04-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1125</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.5625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1400</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>11.5625</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-01-17</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-01-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1400</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 1.454 shares purchsed on 05/22/2003 at a price of $30.149 per share pursuant to the reinvestment of dividends under the MASSBANK Corp Dividend Reinvestment Plan</footnote><footnote id="F2">Exercise of stock option granted under the MASSBANK Corp 1986 Stock Option Plan</footnote><footnote id="F3">Exercise of stock option granted under the MASSBANK Corp 1994 Stock Incentive Plan</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>David F. Carroll, Attorney-In-Fact
for Stephen E. Marshall</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

