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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-08-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000866970</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LIGHTING SCIENCE GROUP CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LSGP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001288034</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARTMAN KENNETH SHANE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2100 MCKINNEY AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1555</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Information Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Lighting Science Group 2005 Eqauity-Based Compensation Plan</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.54</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-08-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Lighting Science Group Corporation common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>330000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Cumulative percentages of shares to which option is exercisable: 25% date of grant; 50% first anniversary date; 75% second anniversary date; 100% third anniversary date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes (i) 30,000 shares issuable to Mr. Hartman pursuant to the exercise of options at a price of $0.32 per share (two-thirds of which are vested and one-third of which will vest on 2/21/08); (ii) 100,000 shares issuable to Mr. Hartman pursuant to the exercise of options at a price of $0.37 per share (one-fifth of which are vested and one-fifth of which will vest on each anniversary date until 2/7/11); and (iii) 200,000 shares issuable to Mr. Hartman pursuant to the exercise of options at a price of $0.54 per share (one-fourth of which are vested and one-fourth of which will vest on each anniversary date until 8/2/10).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kenneth Shane Hartman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
