<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-03-012038
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030714
<FILING-DATE>20030716
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ANDERSON DAVID JOHN
<CIK>0001240580
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-11024
<FILM-NUMBER>03788097
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O CLARCOR INC
<STREET2>2323 SIXTH STREET PO BOX 7007
<CITY>ROCKFORD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>61125
<PHONE>8159628867
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CLARCOR INC
<CIK>0000020740
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3714
<IRS-NUMBER>360922490
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1130
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2323 SIXTH ST
<STREET2>PO BOX 7007
<CITY>ROCKFORD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>61125
<PHONE>8159628867
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2323 SIXTH STREET
<CITY>ROCKFORD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>61125
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CLARK J L MANUFACTURING CO /DE/
<DATE-CHANGED>19871001
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000020740</issuerCik><issuerName>CLARCOR INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CLC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001240580</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>ANDERSON DAVID JOHN</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP-Corporate Development</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Par Value $1.00</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>400</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>40.8</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30312</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Par Value $1.00</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>520</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>40.8</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>29792</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Marcia S. Blaylock, By Power of Attorney</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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