<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-10-03</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000851249</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FORTUNE DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FDVI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001256105</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WOLCOTT NORMAN G JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman of Nor-Cote Inter.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13100000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>86225291</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Note (1)</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note (1): As a member of a control group, the Reporting Person (direct holding:
7,266,064 shares) may be deemed to be an indirect beneficial owner of the shares
owned by the other members of the control group, John F. Fisbeck (18,087,023
shares), Carter M. Fortune (42,013,108 shares), Robert J. Kingston (7,900,000
shares), Norman G. Wolcott, Jr. and Norman G. Wolcott, Sr., as co-trustees of
the Norman G. Wolcott, Sr. and Lucile H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995
(5,125,160 shares), and Harlan M. Schafir (13,100,000 shares). Neither the fact
of this filing nor anything contained herein shall be deemed to be an admission
that the Reporting Person is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any equity securities
covered by this statement.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Norman G. Wolcott, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

