<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001248915-09-000145
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20091214
<FILING-DATE>20091215
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20091215
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>LYBARGER STANLEY A
<CIK>0001248962
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19341
<FILM-NUMBER>091241758
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O FREDERIC DORWART
<STREET2>124 E FOURTH STREET
<CITY>TULSA
<STATE>OK
<ZIP>74103
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BOK FINANCIAL CORP ET AL
<CIK>0000875357
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>731373454
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>OK
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BANK OF OKLAHOMA TOWER
<STREET2>PO BOX 2300
<CITY>TULSA
<STATE>OK
<ZIP>74192
<PHONE>9185953025
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BANK OF OKLAHOMA TOWER
<STREET2>P O BOX 2300
<CITY>TULSA
<STATE>OK
<ZIP>74192
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000875357</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOK FINANCIAL CORP ET AL</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BOKF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001248962</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LYBARGER STANLEY A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FREDERIC DORWART</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>124 E FOURTH STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TULSA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>74103</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>2005 Stock Options</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>47.34</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>47.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>47.66</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>47.66</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Phantom Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>47.66</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>47.66</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Phantom Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>21618</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">For options granted in any one year, one-seventh of the options of such grant vest and become exercisable on the grant date of the anniversary each year commencing on the first anniversary after the grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Options expire 3 years after vesting.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The reporting person elected to defer receipt of 146 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of his options, resulting in the accrual to his account of 21,618 shares of phantom stock of which 21,472 of those shares were used to pay for the exercise price. The stock expires upon the termination of the Deferred Compensation Agreement which remains in effect until the reporting persons retirement or the agreement is otherwise terminated.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Frederic Dorwart</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-12-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
