<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001140361-06-017158
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20061127
<FILING-DATE>20061129
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20061129
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Stolz Richard
<CIK>0001319915
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50485
<FILM-NUMBER>061245258
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>800-223-9226
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE
<CITY>WACO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>76710
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CENTRAL FREIGHT LINES INC
<CIK>0001085636
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4213
<IRS-NUMBER>742914331
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NV
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE
<CITY>WACO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>767022638
<PHONE>2547722120
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE
<CITY>WACO
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>767022638
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CENTRAL FREIGHT LINES INC/TX
<DATE-CHANGED>19990503
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-11-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001085636</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CENTRAL FREIGHT LINES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CENF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319915</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Stolz Richard</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5601 WEST WACO DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WACO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>76710</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vp-Sales and Marketing</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy) Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.46</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>.01</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-03-03</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This option, which originally provided for vesting in five equal annual installments beginning March 3, 2006, was cancelled pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among the issuer, North American Truck Lines, LLC, and Green Acquisition Company in exchange for a cash payment of $1,000, or $0.01 per option share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/  Richard Stolz, by David J. Routh, attorney-in-fact, pursuant to a POA previously filed with the SEC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
