<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001223112-10-000097
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20101116
<FILING-DATE>20101118
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20101118
<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>DURHAM MICHAEL D
<CIK>0001246365
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50216
<FILM-NUMBER>101201986
</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>2010-11-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246365</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DURHAM MICHAEL D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8100 SOUTHPARK WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>C/O ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LITTLETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80120-4525</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>875</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.58</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>237236</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This amount equals restricted stock forfeited pursuant to a program under the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amount equals the FMV of the shares as of the date of forfeiture based on the last reported sales price reported by the Nasdaq Stock Market for shares of the same class as of the close of trading on that day.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Of this amount shown 52,415 shares are held in the qualified pension plan account of the reporting person and 15,000 shares were issued pursuant to a program unde the Company's 2007 Equity Incentive Plan, are not fully vested and are subject to certain repurchase rights.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael D. Durham</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
