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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000889609</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CONSUMER PORTFOLIO SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CPSS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001028860</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BRADLEY CHARLES E JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>16355 LAGUNA CANYON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>IRVINE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92618</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO &amp; President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>common stock, no par value</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-08-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>210000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.18</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1009780</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Owned by</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting person had previously pledged the shares in question to secure his indebtedness in favor of the issuer.  The issuer purchased the shares at the closing price reported by the Nasdaq Global Market for the date of the sale.  The issuer retained $457,800 aggregate purchase price, and received additional cash from the reporting person.  The transaction, approved in advance by the audit committee of the issuer's board of directors, discharged the indebtedness of the reporting person to the issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">a corporation of which the reporting person is the sole stockholder.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Charles E. Bradley, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
