<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001223112-10-000078
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20100715
<FILING-DATE>20100729
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20100729
<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>10978164
</FILING-VALUES>
<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>2010-07-15</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>SVP &amp; CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-07-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>568</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.47</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>119752</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares issued directly to Mr. McKinnies' qualified pension plan and represent a portion of the Company's 401(k) matching contributions for 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Price equals the FMV of the shares on the date of authorization.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Of the amount shown 36,728 shares are in the pension fund account of Mr. MccKinnies and 26,000 shares were issued pursuant toa program under the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, have not fully vested and are subject to certain repurchase rights.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>MArk H McKinnies</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-07-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
