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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-09-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000885551</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VALENCE TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VLNC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000901719</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BERG CARL E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BERG &amp; BERG DEVELOPERS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10050 BANDLEY DR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CUPERTINO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95014</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1402743</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.208</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>28504053</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23415720</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2469506</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK WARRANTS (RIGHT TO BUY)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.208</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1402743</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-01-04</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1402743</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>133672</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">THESE SECURITIES ARE OWNED BY BERG &amp; BERG ENTERPRISES, LLC (&quot;BB&quot;), A MEMBER OF THE REPORTING GROUP.  THE DESIGNATED BENEFICIAL OWNER DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PECUNIARY INTERESTS THEREIN.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">THESE SECURITIES ARE OWNED BY WEST COAST VENTURE CAPITAL, INC. (&quot;WCVC&quot;), A MEMBER OF THE REPORTING GROUP.  THE DESIGNATED BENEFICIAL OWNER DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PECUNIARY INTERESTS THEREIN.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">THESE SECURITIES ARE OWNED BY CARL E. BERG, THE DESIGNATED BENEFICIAL OWNER FOR THE REPORTING GROUP.  THE DESIGNATED BENEFICIAL OWNER DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT OF HIS RESPECTIVE PECUNIARY INTERESTS THEREIN.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>CARL E. BERG, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AS MANAGER OF BB, AND AS PRESIDENT OF WCVC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
