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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001074076</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LUSK RONALD E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2100 MCKINNEY AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1515</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75201</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1500000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.42</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5311793</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>2BOYSAB Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes: (i) 125,000 shares issuable by the issuer to Mr. Lusk pursuant to the exercise of warrants of the issuer at an exercise price of  price of $0.30 per share; (ii) 50,000 shares issuable by the issuer to Mr. Lusk pursuant to the exercise of warrants of the issuer at an exercise price of $1.50 per share; (iii) 200,000 shares issuable by the issuer to Mr. Lusk pursuant to the exercise of options of the issuer at an exercise price of $0.32 per share (two-thirds of which are vested and one-third of which will vest on 2/20/08); and 275,000 warrants issuable by the issuer to Mr. Lusk pursuant to the exercise of warrants of the issuer at an exercise price of  price of $0.30 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The closing price on the date of the gift was $0.42 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">All shares noted in this report are expressed in terms of the pre-reverse-split number of shares. The issuer initiated a 1-for-20 reverse split with an effective date on or about January 25, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ronald E. Lusk</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
