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

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000099302</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRANSCAT INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TRNS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231776</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MURPHY CORNELIUS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TRANSCAT, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>35 VANTAGE POINT DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROCHESTER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14624</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $.50 par value</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3066</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>64128</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Warrant (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.0625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-08-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-08-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.50 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Warrant (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.9062</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-08-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.50 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Warrant (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-08-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.50 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Warrant (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>.97</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-08-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.50 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Warrant (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.31</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-20</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-08-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, par value $.50 per share</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Automatic grant pursuant to the Transcat, Inc. Directors' Stock Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  For awards granted after 4/1/02, Mr. Murphy has elected to defer receipt of all shares credited to his participant stock account under the Directors' Stock Plan until the expiration of the deferral period, at which time the shares will be issued pursuant to the terms of his prior election.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This non-transferable warrant was previously reported by Mr. Murphy.</footnote><footnote id="F3">This non-transferable warrant was previously reported by Mr. Murphy.  Mr. Murphy can exercise this warrant in cumulative increments of 1,000 shares after each of the following dates, providing the market price of the Company's Common Stock meets or exceeds, for 20 of 30 consecutive trading days, the following respective amounts: 8/16/00--$5.50; 1/1/01--$7.50; 1/1/02--$10.50; 1/1/03--$15.00; to the extent such market price requirements are not satisfied, the balance of the warrant becomes exercisable on 8/16/04.</footnote><footnote id="F4">This non-transferable warrant was previously reported by Mr. Murphy.  Mr. Murphy can exercise this warrant in cumulative increments of 1,000 shares after each of the following dates, providing the market price of the Company's Common Stock meets or exceeds, for 20 of 30 consecutive trading days, the following respective amounts: 8/22/01--$3.50; 1/1/02--$6.00; 1/1/03--$9.00; 1/1/04--$13.50; to the extent such market price requirements are not satisfied, the balance of the warrant becomes exercisable on 8/22/05.</footnote><footnote id="F5">This non-transferable warrant was previously reported by Mr. Murphy.  Mr. Murphy can exercise this warrant in cumulative increments of 1,000 shares after each of the following dates, providing the market price of the Company's Common Stock meets or exceeds, for 20 of 30 consecutive trading days, the following respective amounts: 8/20/02--$2.25; 1/1/03--$3.50; 1/1/04--$5.25; 1/1/05--$7.50; to the extent such market price requirements are not satisfied, the balance of the option becomes exercisable on 8/20/06.</footnote><footnote id="F6">This non-transferable warrant was granted under the Transcat, Inc. Amended and Restated Directors' Warrant Plan in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  Mr. Murphy can exercise this warrant in cumulative increments of 1,000 shares after each of the following dates, providing the market price of the Company's Common Stock meets or exceeds, for 20 of 30 consecutive trading days, the following respective amounts: 8/20/03--$3.50; 1/1/04--$5.00; 1/1/05--$6.50; 1/1/06--$7.00; to the extent such market price requirements are not satisfied, the balance of the option becomes exercisable on 8/20/07.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Cornelius J. Murphy</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

