-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Inwm96k8LgYQyw4pBHesr5OIGUrOntaZ3l2MgY/J53unX9IyguU/U4Drkz01Ylmq
 qXhRlcpVYgzz00YFGgqOfg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000891106-03-000024.txt : 20031105
<SEC-HEADER>0000891106-03-000024.hdr.sgml : 20031105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031105103317
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000891106-03-000024
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031103
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ZUPPE WILLIAM W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001253143

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-20800
		FILM NUMBER:		03978094

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		111 NORTH WALL STREET
		CITY:			SPOKANE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			99201-0696

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STERLING FINANCIAL CORP /WA/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000891106
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, NOT FEDERALLY CHARTERED [6036]
		IRS NUMBER:				911572822
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		111 N WALL ST
		CITY:			SPOKANE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			99201
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5094583711

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		111 NORTH WALL STREET
		CITY:			SPOKANE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			99201
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001253143d20031104f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-03</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000891106</issuerCik><issuerName>STERLING FINANCIAL CORP /WA/</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>STSA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001253143</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>ZUPPE WILLIAM W</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>111 NORTH WALL STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>SPOKANE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>99201-</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>COO &amp; President</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingO
wner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>31.8425</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13908</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDeri
vativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>7.82</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>28908</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTran
saction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1235</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Spouse IRA</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15962</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Non-Statutory Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.73</value></conversionOrExe
rcisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-11-03</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>7.82</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1996-06-30</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-06-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>15000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndire
ctOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>William R. Basom</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-11-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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