-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RVvPiJfKWuKc3vRUy5v5V5lV/U2ABqwddpfsS6B8zj8JBxUU0gUJmbPRQoQ0hPNb
 TbLVExFxzHoZxmNe40DLgA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000913849-03-000549.txt : 20031110
<SEC-HEADER>0000913849-03-000549.hdr.sgml : 20031110
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031110193140
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000913849-03-000549
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20010129
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031110

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PRIVATEBANCORP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000889936
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				363681151
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TEN NORTH DEARBORN SUITE 900
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TEN NORTH DEARBORN STREET
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MANDELL RALPH B
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001134663

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-25887
		FILM NUMBER:		03990009

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1146 LATHROP AVE
		CITY:			RIVER FOREST
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60305
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3126837100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1146 LATHROP AVE
		CITY:			RIVER FOREST
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60305
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2001-01-29</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2001-04-19</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000889936</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PRIVATEBANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PVTB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001134663</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MANDELL RALPH B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1146 LATHROP AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RIVER FOREST</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60305</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>327630</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes shares held in the Company's Savings and Retirement Plan as of December 31, 2000.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reporting person's original Form 3 (amended on November 10, 2003) understated the amount of shares directly owned by the reporting person by 900 shares (adjusted to give effect to the 3-for-2 stock split effective January 2003).  In April 2001, the reporting person filed a Form 4 that mistakenly included shares that were not beneficially owned by the reporting person under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and were also included in the Forms 4 filed by the reporting person after the April 2001 Form 4 was filed.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Jennifer Durham King, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-11-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----