<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-06-036767
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20060208
<FILING-DATE>20060615
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20060615
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ORR L GLENN JR
<CIK>0001230754
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-13100
<FILM-NUMBER>06907391
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>3367227881
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P O BOX 5176
<CITY>WINSTON SALEM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27113
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES INC
<CIK>0000921082
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>561871668
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3100 SMOKETREE CT
<STREET2>STE 600
<CITY>RALEIGH
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27604
<PHONE>9198724924
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3100 SMOKETREE COURT
<STREET2>STE 600
<CITY>RALEIGH
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27604
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-02-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000921082</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HIW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001230754</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ORR L GLENN JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O HIGHWOODS PROPERTIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>3100 SMOKETREE COURT, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RALEIGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27604</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>20.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">SEC rules have prohibited us from issuing shares of common stock upon the exercise of stock options under our Form S-8 registration statement since the beginning of 2005 because of the delay in filing our SEC reports. As a result, upon the recommendation of our compensation and governance committee, the expiration date of these options has effectively been tolled.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The options were originally granted and exercisable on 2/23/1995.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The expiration date of such options has been tolled and will occur 30 calendar days after the date in 2006 on which both we have become current on all of our SEC reporting obligations and our blackout policy does not prevent such options from being exercised on a cashless basis.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Mack D. Pridgen, III for L. Glenn Orr, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-06-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
