<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001220165-04-000005
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041207
<FILING-DATE>20041209
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041209
<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 696000
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78269-6000
<PHONE>2103452000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 696000
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78269-6000
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>SHAMROCK LOGISTICS LP
<DATE-CHANGED>20000331
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MCVICKER JERRY D
<CIK>0001220165
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16417
<FILM-NUMBER>041193312
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O VALERO ENERGY CORP
<STREET2>ONE VALERO PLACE
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78212-3186
<PHONE>2103452000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>P.O. BOX 696000
<CITY>SAN ANTONIO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>78269-6000
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220165</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCVICKER JERRY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 696000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN ANTONIO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78269-6000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Former Officer</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3346</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Unit Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>45.35</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-10-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Units</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2875</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2875</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Unit Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>56.51</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-10-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Units</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2400</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This report is filed to note the reporting person's termination of insider status.  The reported holdings reflect the former insider's beneficial ownership as of December 7, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The unit options vest annually in equal increments over a five-year period beginning in October 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The unit options vest annually in equal increments over a five-year period beginning in October 2005.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ J. Stephen Gilbert, as Attorney-in-Fact for Jerry D. McVicker</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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