-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 O2t3bzygrqMlu3hyW24+reKfjHyXGdeaQQbYCA7jiJi6sHz7xwijVBmKtFHzAtfT
 hUhL1IwmyeWPnFm+02UO8A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001198272-08-000063.txt : 20080227
<SEC-HEADER>0001198272-08-000063.hdr.sgml : 20080227
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080227140552
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001198272-08-000063
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080225
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080227
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080227

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PUTNAM MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITIES TRUST
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000900422
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000]
		IRS NUMBER:				043187549
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02109
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6172921000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02109

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CURTIS B CHARLES
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198272

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-07626
		FILM NUMBER:		08645973

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O PUTNAM LLC
		STREET 2:		ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE L5
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02109
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000900422</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PUTNAM MUNICIPAL OPPORTUNITIES TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>pmo</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001198272</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CURTIS B CHARLES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PUTNAM LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE L5</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-25</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>228.574</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.51</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>351.178</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Effective date of mergers of each of Putnam Investment Grade Municipal Trust and Putnam Municipal Bond Fund into issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each of Putnam Investment Grade Municipal Trust (PGM) and Putnam Municipal Bond Fund (PMG), each of which is a closed-end investment company, merged into issuer (PMO) on February 25, 2008.  Common shares of PMO were issued in exchange for all outstanding common shares of each of PGM and PMG based on the per-share net asset values of each fund's common shares calculated as of February 22, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Reflects the issuance of 100.9 common shares of PMO received in connection with the merger of PGM into PMO and the issuance of 127.674 common shares of PMO received in connection with the merger of PMG into PMO.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Per-share net asset value of PMO common shares as of February 22, 2008.  Reflects rounding.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Each of Putnam Investment Grade Municipal Trust (PGM) and Putnam Municipal Bond Fund (PMG), each of which is a closed-end investment company, merged into issuer (PMO) on February 25, 2008.  Common shares of PMO were issued in exchange for all outstanding common shares of each of PGM and PMG based on the per-share net asset values of each fund's common shares calculated as of February 22, 2008.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Charles B. Curtis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
