-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 FKBWd3dklLUY0BWj9+XN01TkWQb9vik14z9/hZAK+5IaAQbCyMR7YRjDgc+FebV+
 iTO22Qzph06vP6tr+29KXQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001240611-03-000002.txt : 20030707
<SEC-HEADER>0001240611-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030704
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030707155210
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001240611-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030701
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030707

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROPP DAVID J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001240611

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04018
		FILM NUMBER:		03777019

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		DOVER CORP.
		STREET 2:		280 PARK AVE.
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DOVER CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000029905
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CONSTRUCTION, MINING & MATERIALS HANDLING MACHINERY & EQUIP [3530]
		IRS NUMBER:				530257888
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		280 PARK AVE
		STREET 2:		38-W
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10017
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2129221640
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>
    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000029905</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DOVER CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DOV</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001240611</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROPP DAVID J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>676.0935</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares></transactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>35.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-05</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4988</value></underlyi
ngSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>31.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-02-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-04</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6025</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>39.00</value></conver
sionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-10</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-02-10</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5101</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>41.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-02-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10416</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><
value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>38.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2005-02-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>11670</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2006-02-13</value></exerciseDate><expirat
ionDate><value>2013-02-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>28122</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Represents shares held in the Dover Corporation Retirement Savings Plan (the 401(k) Plan). </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>David J. Ropp</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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