<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-04-001760
<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>BELHUMEUR GEORGE
<CIK>0001245341
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08966
<FILM-NUMBER>04511532
</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>0001245341</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BELHUMEUR GEORGE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1221 S. BASCOM AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95128</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. VP of Operations</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option 1(a)</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>84.0000</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><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>9.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>84.0000</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-04-28</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-04-28</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>364.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>1(b)</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>89.1000</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><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>355.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>89.1000</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>355.0000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>719.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1(a) 2003 Stock option DER conversion</footnote><footnote id="F2">1(b) 2004 Stock option award

The option vests and becomes exercisable according to the following schedule: 25% after 1 year of service and the remaining options share vest and become exercisable in three equal annual consecutive installments over the three year period.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert A. Loehr, Attorney in Fact for George Belhumeur</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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