<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193805-16-004334.txt : 20161202
<SEC-HEADER>0001193805-16-004334.hdr.sgml : 20161202
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20161202121607
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193805-16-004334
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20161201
FILED AS OF DATE:		20161202
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20161202

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001173420
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	GOLD & SILVER ORES [1040]
		IRS NUMBER:				000000000
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			A5
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1130

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		789 WEST PENDER STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 720
		CITY:			VANCOUVER
		STATE:			A1
		ZIP:			V6C 1H2
		BUSINESS PHONE:		604-669-6227

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		789 WEST PENDER STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 720
		CITY:			VANCOUVER
		STATE:			A1
		ZIP:			V6C 1H2

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KAPLAN THOMAS SCOTT
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001124803

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31913
		FILM NUMBER:		162030354

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		154 WEST 18TH STREET APT 8C
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10011
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>e615609_4-kaplan.xml
<DESCRIPTION>OWNERSHIP DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-12-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001173420</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001124803</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAPLAN THOMAS SCOTT</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>700 MADISON AVENUE, 5TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10065</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Share Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1942.189</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1942.189</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>44970.856</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.58</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-12-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>88400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-11-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>88400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>88400</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Deferred Share Unit (&quot;DSU&quot;) is the economic equivalent of one of the Issuer's common shares. The DSUs vested immediately upon issuance; however, the underlying common shares will not be issued to the reporting person, and the reporting person shall not have any voting or dispositive rights with respect to the underlying common shares, until termination of the reporting person's employment or services as a director of the Issuer.  The grants will expire no later than 90 days after the reporting person's termination date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One-third of the reported options vested immediately upon issuance and an additional one-third of the reported options will vest on each of December 1, 2017 and December 1, 2018.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Thomas S. Kaplan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-12-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
