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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-05-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000809012</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HOST AMERICA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CAFE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001238611</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HEALY PATRICK JAMES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO BROADWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HAMDEN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06518</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK WARRANTS (RIGHT TO BUY)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>10</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-05-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-12-31</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-01-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>87160</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reported securities are included within 2 units purchased by the reporting person for $25,000 per unit.  Each unit consists of one warrant to purchase 7,500 shares of common stock and one 7.5% unsecured promissory note due 2009 in the face amount of $25,000.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes (i) 5,000 options to purchase common stock at $2.25 per share; (ii) 8,750 options to purchase common stock at $4.00 per share; (iii) 5,000 options to purchase common stock at $2.69 per share; (iv) 7,500 options to purchase common stock at $2.45 per share; (v) 12,750 options to purchase common stock at $2.00 per share; (vi) 5,000 options to purchase common stock at $7.05 per share; (vii) 14,000 options to purchase common stock at $7.30 per share; (viii) a warrant to purchase 14,160 shares of common stock at $2.00 per share; and (ix) a warrant to purchase 15,000 shares of common stock at $10.00 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>PATRICK J. HEALY</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

