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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 G67t7yEPHcIkKc9EaVzmCA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-020736.txt : 20030909
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-020736.hdr.sgml : 20030909
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030909143538
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-020736
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030909
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030909

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HENDRIX LEON J JR
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001198934

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09965
		FILM NUMBER:		03887791

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		340 SURFSONG RD
		CITY:			KIAWAH ISLAND
		STATE:			SC
		ZIP:			29455

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000054991
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	INSTRUMENTS FOR MEAS & TESTING OF ELECTRICITY & ELEC SIGNALS [3825]
		IRS NUMBER:				340794417
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			OH
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		28775 AURORA RD
		CITY:			SOLON
		STATE:			OH
		ZIP:			44139
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2162480400
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-09</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000054991</issuerCik><issuerName>KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>KEI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001198934</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HENDRIX LEON J JR</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>28775 AURORA ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>SOLON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>44139</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDeriv
ativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.4063</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-08-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value
>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.7813</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-08-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.7813</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-08-13</value></exerciseDate><expirat
ionDate><value>2010-02-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>36.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-08-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><va
lue>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.23</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-08-18</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrE
xercisePrice><value>10.7</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-08-16</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-02-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.6375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-08</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwa
pInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>270.58</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stk</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>270.58</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26793.47</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The phantom stock units were accrued under 
the Keithley Instruments, Inc. Deferred Stock Plan and are to be settled in common stock upon the retirement from the Board of the reporting person; retirement date is not yet known.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Phantom shares were acquired on various dates (beginning 09/19/1995)with prices ranging from $2.469 to $64.00.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>Mark J. Plush, Attorney-in Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-09</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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