<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-04-001692
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040102
<FILING-DATE>20040106
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SJW CORP
<CIK>0000766829
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4941
<IRS-NUMBER>770066628
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>374 W SANTA CLARA ST
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95196
<PHONE>4082797800
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CALI MARK L
<CIK>0001245330
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08966
<FILM-NUMBER>04511085
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>374 W SANTA CLARA STREET
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95113
<PHONE>4082797961
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>374 W SANTA CLARA STREET
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95113
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000766829</issuerCik><issuerName>SJW CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>sjw</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001245330</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>CALI MARK L</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>374 W. SANTA CLARA STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>95113</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock 1(a)</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2004-01-02</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>27.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>86.6500</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7517.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks>1(a) - 2003 Pension benefit DER conversion</remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert A. Loehr, Attorney in Fact for Mark Cali</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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