<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-08-019532
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080301
<FILING-DATE>20080320
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080320
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC
<CIK>0000915912
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>770404318
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
<PHONE>7033296300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVENUE
<STREET2>STE 300
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>AVALON BAY COMMUNITIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19980618
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19931208
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NAUGHTON TIMOTHY J
<CIK>0001219700
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12672
<FILM-NUMBER>08703140
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC
<STREET2>2900 ELSENHOWER AVE 3RD FL
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
<PHONE>7033174639
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 ELSENHOWER AVE 3RD FL
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4a.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4/A SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-03-01</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2008-03-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000915912</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219700</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NAUGHTON TIMOTHY J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALEXANDRIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22314</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-03-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4176</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>92.43</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>94209.651</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects withholding of 4,176 shares by the Company to cover tax withholding obligations on the vesting of restricted stock under the Company's Stock Option and Incentive Plan. The previously filed Form 4 erroneously reported the withholding of 3,507 shares for such purpose and contained an incorrect transaction date of 2/29/2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The amount of securities owned following the reported transaction reflects direct ownership of all shares of common stock, including restricted shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By Edward M. Schulman as attorney-in-fact under Power of Attorney dated January 1, 2000</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
