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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-09-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000098410</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TIPPERARY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TPY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001126386</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SLOUGH ESTATES USA INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>33 WEST MONROE ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STE 2000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60603</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-09-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1500000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22322273</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Slough Estates plc, a United Kingdom public limited liability company, wholly owns Slough Trading Estate Limited, a United Kingdom limited liability company, which wholly owns Slough Estates USA Inc.  Slough Estates plc and Slough Trading Estate Limited may be deemed to beneficially own the shares of common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Randall W. Rohner, Slough Estates USA Inc.,  By: Randall W. Rohner, its Senior Vice President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-09-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

