-----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,
 A7pHv/vTKEh9JZqfx1kSbrQiSYJfRwLRvc0THKkikwtEGjOP5MgOPM+W16XtAVp1
 HfGQR0JQsk4PZlLOrQo7Aw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001198272-08-000065.txt : 20080227
<SEC-HEADER>0001198272-08-000065.hdr.sgml : 20080227
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080227141922
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001198272-08-000065
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:			KENNAN ELIZABETH T
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001192343

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	811-07626
		FILM NUMBER:		08646056

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8606655000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NORTHEAST UTILTIES
		STREET 2:		107 SELDEN STREET
		CITY:			BERLIN
		STATE:			CT
		ZIP:			06037
</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>0001192343</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KENNAN ELIZABETH T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>NORTHEAST UTILTIES</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>107 SELDEN STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BERLIN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06037</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>2008-02-24</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>676.097</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.51</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>895.89</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 174.203 common shares of PMO received in connection with the merger of PGM into PMO and the issuance of 501.894 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>Elizabeth T. Kennan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-02-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
