<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-04-023685
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040429
<FILING-DATE>20040504
<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>JAMES RONALD R
<CIK>0001245333
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08966
<FILM-NUMBER>04779135
</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>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000766829</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SJW CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SJW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001245333</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JAMES RONALD R</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>2004-04-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2004-04-29</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4029.0000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>35.7500</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4629.0000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>1(a)  This transaction represents the accelerated vesting, due to retirement of reporting person as director, of restricted stock pension benefits previously reported.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert A. Loehr, Attorney in Fact for Ronald James</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-05-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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