<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000874716-04-000009
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040128
<FILING-DATE>20040130
<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>POLLOCK LOUIS W
<CIK>0001023867
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19271
<FILM-NUMBER>04556612
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092
<PHONE>2078560300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001023867</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>POLLOCK LOUIS W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTBROOK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>ME</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>04092</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.3921</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11577</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reporting person also indirectly holds 176 shares of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Common Stock in an Individual Retirment Account and 174 shares of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Common Stock in an individual retirment account for Mr. Pollock's wife, as to which shares Mr. Pollock disclaims beneficial ownership.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Conan R. Deady, Attorney-in-Fact for Louis W. Pollock</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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