<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001229537-04-000002
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040128
<FILING-DATE>20040130
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>VALERO L P
<CIK>0001110805
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4610
<IRS-NUMBER>742956831
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 500
<STREET2>P.O. BOX 500
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78292-0400
<PHONE>2103702000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 500
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78292-0500
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>SHAMROCK LOGISTICS LP
<DATE-CHANGED>20000331
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BLUNTZER JAMES R
<CIK>0001229537
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16417
<FILM-NUMBER>04554209
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 500
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78292-0500
<PHONE>2103702000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 500
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78292-0500
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-28</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001110805</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VALERO L P</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VLI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001229537</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BLUNTZER JAMES R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 500</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78292-0500</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>522</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1072</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>190</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>51.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>882</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J. Stephen Gilbert, as Attorney-in-Fact for James R. Bluntzer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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