<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001223112-09-000011
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090122
<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>BUSTARD C JEAN
<CIK>0001246363
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50216
<FILM-NUMBER>09539988
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8100 SOUTHPARK WAY
<STREET2>C/O ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
<CITY>LITTLETON
<STATE>CO
<ZIP>80120-4525
</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>2009-01-22</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246363</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BUSTARD C JEAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8100 SOUTHPARK WAY, B</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>C/O ADA-ES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LITTLETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80120-4525</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>COO</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>16892</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.9</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>78964</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, 10,933 shares are held in the pension fund account of Ms. Bustard.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>C Jean Bustard</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-01-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
