<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001223112-09-000009
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090121
<FILING-DATE>20090122
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090122
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ADA-ES INC
<CIK>0001223112
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2890
<IRS-NUMBER>841457335
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CO
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8100 SOUTHPARK WAY B
<CITY>LITTLETON
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80120
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MCKINNIES MARK H
<CIK>0001204127
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50216
<FILM-NUMBER>09539954
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>3037341727
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8100 SOUTH PARK WAY
<STREET2>B-2
<CITY>LITTLETON
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80120
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-01-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001223112</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADA-ES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADES</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001204127</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCKINNIES MARK H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8100 SOUTH PARK WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>B-2</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LITTLETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80120</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-01-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16925</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.9</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110053</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Restricted stock award issued pursuant to a Program under the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan. Shares vest only upon occurrence of certain milestones set forth in the Program.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amount is equal to the fair market value of the shares as of the date of grant, based on the last sale price reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market for shares of the same class as of the close of trading on the previous day. The reporting person paid $.01 per share in cash for the shares, and the difference ($5.89 per share) may be deemed the value of services rendered by the reporting person in exchange for the shares as of the time the shares vest, if ever.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Of the amount shown, 35,409 shares are held in the pension fund account of Mr. McKinnies.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>MArk H McKinnies</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
