<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001104659-04-000230
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040103
<FILING-DATE>20040106
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MESSMER HAROLD M JR
<CIK>0001183491
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10427
<FILM-NUMBER>04510258
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O HEALTH CARE PROPERTY INVESTORS INC
<STREET2>4675 MACARTHUR COURT STE 900
<CITY>NEWPORT BEACH
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>92660
<PHONE>9492210600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HALF ROBERT INTERNATIONAL INC /DE/
<CIK>0000315213
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7363
<IRS-NUMBER>941648752
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2884 SAND HILL RD
<STREET2>STE 200
<CITY>MENLO PARK
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94025
<PHONE>6502346000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2884 SAND HILL ROAD
<STREET2>STE 200
<CITY>MENLO PARK
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94025
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BOOTHE FINANCIAL CORP /DE/
<DATE-CHANGED>19870721
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BOOTHE INTERIM CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19600201
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
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  <periodOfReport>2004-01-03</periodOfReport>
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    <issuer>
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        <issuerName>HALF ROBERT INTERNATIONAL INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RHI</issuerTradingSymbol>
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            <rptOwnerName>MESSMER HAROLD M JR</rptOwnerName>
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        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2884 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>1</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>0</isOther>
      <officerTitle>Chairman &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
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      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
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        <value>2003-01-02</value>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
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    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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      <transactionDate>
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        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
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        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
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        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
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        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1403021</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
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    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-12-15</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value>E</value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
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        <transactionShares>
          <value>750</value>
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        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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        <value>Common Stock</value>
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      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-12-17</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value>E</value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
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        <transactionShares>
          <value>1000</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
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          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1401271</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2004-01-03</value>
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      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
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        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>23.68</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>D</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>1278839</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-01-02</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value>E</value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>1200</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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          <value>12274</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>By Son</value>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>250000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>By GRAT</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>250000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>I</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        <natureOfOwnership>
          <value>By GRAT</value>
          <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">These shares are held by the Harold M. Messmer, Jr. 2003 Annuity Trust.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">These shares are held by the Marcia N. Messmer 2003 Annuity Trust.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Harold M. Messmer Jr.</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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