<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000874716-03-000073
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030716
<FILING-DATE>20030718
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>IDEXX LABORATORIES INC /DE
<CIK>0000874716
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2835
<IRS-NUMBER>010393723
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092-2041
<PHONE>2078560300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092-2041
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>IDEXX CORP / DE
<DATE-CHANGED>19600201
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HENDERSON REBECCA M
<CIK>0001254748
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19271
<FILM-NUMBER>03792636
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O MIT SLOAN SCHOOL ROOM E52-43
<STREET2>50 MEMORIAL DRIVE
<CITY>CAMBRIDGE
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02142
<PHONE>617 253 6618
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O MIT SLOAN SCHOOL ROOM E52-43
<STREET2>50 MEMORIAL DRIVE
<CITY>CAMBRIDGE
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02142
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-16</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000874716</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IDEXX LABORATORIES INC /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IDXX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001254748</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HENDERSON REBECCA M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>34.23</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-16</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <deemedExecutionDate>
            <value>2003-07-16</value>
        </deemedExecutionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>3333</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>34.23</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2004-05-19</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2013-07-16</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>3333</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>3333</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant of options to purchase shares of Common Stock becomes exercisable on the date of the next annual meeting (5/19/2004).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Conan R. Deady, Attorney-in-Fact for Rebecca M. Henderson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
