<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-31</periodOfReport>
    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000357294</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HOV</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000900565</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOVNANIAN KEVORK S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10 HIGHWAY 35</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RED BANK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07701</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-01-09</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>27189.68</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>27189.68</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1294228.32</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Held by the Family Limited Partnership </value><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2694412</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2694412</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>15000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Held by the Limited Partnership</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>55450</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>55450</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Held by the 1991 Exclusion Trust</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>264562</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>264562</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Held by wife as trustee for daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Class B Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, non-cumulative, is immediately convertible into an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, non-cumulative.</footnote><footnote id="F2">No expiration date.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Not applicable.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Held by the Kevork S. Hovnanian Family Limited Partnership (the &quot;Limited Partnership&quot;)</footnote><footnote id="F5">Held by the Limited Partnership through the partnership interest held by the Sirwart Hovnanian 1994 Marital Trust</footnote><footnote id="F6">Held by the Kevork S. Hovnanian 1991 Exclusion Trust of which the Reporting Person's spouse is trustee</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Nancy Marrazzo</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

