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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000876343</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIOTIME INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BTIM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001067403</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NICKEL JEFFREY B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6121 HOLLIS STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>EMERYVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94608</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares, no par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>172812</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-03-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2006-03-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-03-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.55</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-03-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrants to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-10-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>937</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>937</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.17</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-01-21</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-03-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option to Purchase Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-05-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 160,000 shares that Dr. Nickel may acquire through the exercise of stock options and 937 shares that he may acquire upon the exercise of certain warrants.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">12,500 options became exercisable on March 31, 2002 and the remaining 7,500 became exercisable in 9 equal monthly installments based upon continued service on the board of directors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">5,000 options became exercisable on March 31, 2003 and the remaining 15,000 became exercisable in 9 equal monthly installments based upon continued service on the board of directors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">5,000 options became exercisable on March 31, 2004 and the remaining 5,000 became exercisable on May 31, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">25,000 options became exercisable on June 1, 2004 and the remaining 75,000 will become exercisable in three equal yearly installments.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffrey B. Nickel</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
