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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-09-07</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>6402 CORPORATE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>INDIANAPOLIS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>46278</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1426865</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9537514</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-09-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1426865</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2853730</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Note 3</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Norman G. Wolcott, Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995,
of which Reporting Person is Trustee and may be considered a beneficial owner,
transferred 1,426,865 shares of Issuer's Common Stock to the Norman G.
Wolcott, Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995 Marital Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Norman G. Wolcott, Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995,
of which Reporting Person is Trustee and may be considered a beneficial owner,
transferred 1,426,865 shares of Issuer's Common Stock to the Norman G.
Wolcott, Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995 Survivor's
Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reporting Person may be deemed to be the indirect beneficial owner of
1,426,865 shares of Issuer's Common Stock held by the Norman G. Wolcott,
Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995 Marital Trust, and
of 1,426,865 shares of Issuer's Common Stock held by the Norman G.
Wolcott, Sr. and Lucille H. Wolcott Revocable Trust of 1995
Survivor's Trust.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Norman G. Wolcott, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-09-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

