<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001002014-10-000077
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20091223
<FILING-DATE>20100202
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20100202
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Cruitt Stanley
<CIK>0001326162
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30414
<FILM-NUMBER>10565829
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>114M REYNOLDA VILLAGE
<CITY>WINSTON-SALEM
<STATE>NC
<ZIP>27106
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ALR TECHNOLOGIES INC
<CIK>0001087022
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3669
<IRS-NUMBER>880225807
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3350 RIVERWOOD PKWY
<STREET2>SUITE 1900
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>2Q
<ZIP>30339
<PHONE>(678) 881-1418
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3350 RIVERWOOD PKWY
<STREET2>SUITE 1900
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>2Q
<ZIP>30339
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-12-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001087022</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALR TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALRT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001326162</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Cruitt Stanley</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4234 ALLISTAIR ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WINSTON-SALEM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27104</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-12-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1593976</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12278476</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-01-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.041</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12078476</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>STANLEY CRUITT</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-01-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
