<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001200588-04-000003
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040604
<FILING-DATE>20040614
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>RUSSELL MARY ANN
<CIK>0001200588
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-10587
<FILM-NUMBER>04860978
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O FULTON FINANCIAL CORP
<STREET2>ONE PENN SQUARE
<CITY>LANCASTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>17602
<PHONE>7176722089
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FULTON FINANCIAL CORP
<CIK>0000700564
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>232195389
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>PA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE PENN SQ
<STREET2>PO BOX 4887
<CITY>LANCASTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>17604
<PHONE>7172912411
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE PENN SQ
<STREET2>PO BOX 4887
<CITY>LANCASTER
<STATE>PA
<ZIP>17604
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-06-04</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000700564</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FULTON FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FULT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200588</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RUSSELL MARY ANN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>$2.50 par value common stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1303.5113</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27373.7374</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Additional shares of common stock received pursuant to a 5% stock dividend paid by Fulton Financial Corporation to its shareholders of record of May 14, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>George R. Barr, Jr., Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-06-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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