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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-10-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000863328</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HANCOCK JOHN PATRIOT SELECT DIVIDEND TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DIV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001223375</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CARLIN JAMES F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O JOHN HANCOCK</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>601 CONGRESS STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02210</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Trustee, the Fund</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>shares of benefical interest</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.1</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Securities disposed of in a transaction with the issuer and transferred to John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II pursuant to a merger transaction that occurred on 10/10/2007.  Transfer constituted a Form 4 transaction exempt under rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (The Transfer constituted a Form 4 reportable transaction occurring more than two business days prior to this filing and was therefore reportable as a late Form 4 filing on form 5.  This filing is a voluntary early filing of that form 5.)</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>alfred P. ouellette, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
