<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-08-019528
<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>Dunn Lili F
<CIK>0001319949
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12672
<FILM-NUMBER>08703054
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>703-329-6300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300
<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>0001319949</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Dunn Lili F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALEXANDRIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22314</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, 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>777</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>92.43</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41072.29</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects withholding of 777 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 778 shares for such purpose.</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>
