<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-04-002111
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040102
<FILING-DATE>20040108
<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/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08966
<FILM-NUMBER>04514951
</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/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4a.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4/A SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2004-01-06</dateOfOriginalSubmission><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><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></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>9.0000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>86.6500</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>927.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (right to buy)</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>710.0000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This transaction represents conversion into deferred stock units (DSUs) of deferred equivalent rights resulting from the April 29, 2003 stock option grant.  These DSUs vest according to the following schedule: 25% after one year of service measured from April 29, 2003, and the remaining shares vest in three equal annual consecutive installments over the three year period measured from the first anniversary of April 29, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F2">These options vest and become exercisable according to the following schedule: 25% after one year of service measured from January 2, 2004, and the remaining options vest and become exercisable in three equal annual consecutive installments over the three year period measured from the first anniversary of January 2, 2004.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert A. Loehr, Attorney in Fact for George Belhumeur</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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