<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000874716-04-000074
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041029
<FILING-DATE>20041101
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041101
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GOOD MARY L PHD
<CIK>0001184155
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19271
<FILM-NUMBER>041109449
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-NAME>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>GOOD MARY L DR
<DATE-CHANGED>20020829
</FORMER-NAME>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-10-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184155</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GOOD MARY L PHD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTBROOK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>ME</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>04092</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2004-10-29</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>75</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.84</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>492</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents deferred stock units acquired pursuant to the IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Director Deferred Compensation Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;) in accordance with Rule 16b-3. The number of deferred stock units acquired is determined by dividing the amount of Director's cash compensation deferred pursuant to the Plan ($3,750) by the closing price of the IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Common Stock on the date of the deferral. Deferred stock units are issuable only as common stock on a one-for-one basis one year following the Director's resignation from the Board of Directors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reporting person indirectly holds 4,796 shares of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. Common Stock, which shares are held by Good Family Associates LP, as to which Dr. Good shares voting and dispositve power.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Conan R. Deady, Attorney-in-Fact for Mary L. Good, PhD</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-11-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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