<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001239994-03-000003
<TYPE>5
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030930
<FILING-DATE>20031114
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORP
<CIK>0000356309
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4924
<IRS-NUMBER>222376465
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NJ
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1415 WYCKOFF RD
<STREET2>PO BOX 1468
<CITY>WALL
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07719
<PHONE>9089381494
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1350 CAMPUS PKWY
<STREET2>P O BOX 1468
<CITY>WALL
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07719
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DOWNES LAURENCE M
<CIK>0001239994
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>5
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08359
<FILM-NUMBER>031005655
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1415 WYCKOFF ROAD
<CITY>WALL
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07719
<PHONE>7329381482
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1415 WYCKOFF ROAD
<CITY>WALL
<STATE>NJ
<ZIP>07719
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>5
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-30</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000356309</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NJR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001239994</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOWNES LAURENCE M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1415 WYCKOFF ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07719</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>210</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>62738.4519</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>COMMON STOCK</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType></transactionFormType>
            </transactionCoding>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2898.286</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Cust. for Rel.</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Gift to charitable institutions.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Total includes: 1) shares purchased with reinvested dividends in DRP and 2) shares held through Company ESOP, which are unitized.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes additional shares from reinvested dividends.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Oleta J. Harden - Attorney-In-Fact (POA on file)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-11-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

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