<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001223112-09-000052
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090609
<FILING-DATE>20090819
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090819
<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>Miller Richard
<CIK>0001365839
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50216
<FILM-NUMBER>091023184
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4589 LEHIGH DRIVE
<CITY>WALNUTPORT
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>18088
</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>2009-06-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001365839</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Miller Richard</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4589 LEHIGH DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALNUTPORT</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>18088</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-06-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>851</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.7</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19882</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-08-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>652</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.95</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21458</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares issued directly to Mr. Miller's qualified pension account and represent the Company's 401(k) matching contribution for a portion of 2009.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amount is equal to the fair market value of the shares as of the date of authorization, 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.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Of the amount shown, 851 shares are held in the pension fund account of Mr. Miller and 11,500 shares were issued pursuant to a program under the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, are not fully vested and are subject to certain repurchase rights.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Of the amount shown, 1,503 shares are held in the pension fund account of Mr. Miller and 11,500 shares were issued pursuant to a program under the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, are not fully vested and are subject to certain repurchase rights.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Richard Miller</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
