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

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000811156</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CMS ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CMS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001186618</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BARBA GLENN P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CMS ENERGY CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE ENERGY PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>JACKSON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>49201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, Cont, CAO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock (CMS)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>19480</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock (CMS)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-12-31</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>699</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>2727</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>401(k)</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock (CMS)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>195</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Trust</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Phantom Stock Units (Salary)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Stock (CMS)</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>323</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>1659</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeHolding>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Total includes 18,758 shares of Restricted Stock of the Corporation held directly, of which 1,500 shares are nominal (The actual number of nominal shares received will be determined by the passage of time and the achievement of performance objectives under CMS Energy Corporation's Performance Incentive Stock Plan.); and 722 shares of Common Stock of the Corporation are directly held and registered as Glenn P. Barba TOD The Glenn P. Barba Living Trust UA DTD 11/15/99.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">Shares acquired during 2003 at various dates and prices pursuant to the Corporation's 401(k) plan.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">These units are considered phantom stock held pursuant to the Salaried Employees Merit Program of CMS Energy Corporation and were acquired on various dates in 2003 at prices ranging from $4.41 to $8.52 per share, and will be settled in either cash or the Corporation's Common Stock, at the Corporation's election, in the first quarter of 2005 based on the price of the Common Stock at that time.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>/s/MDVanHemert, Attny in Fact</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2004-01-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

