-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 VUIF0Lb0/BWNRW9Ehja9iaZmrWkRvel9HMVrieCZKfuOX21dH8QwRh0dW82A2XIE
 4FFoWwBoiTwL5C2yDZh7pw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001236379-08-000010.txt : 20080530
<SEC-HEADER>0001236379-08-000010.hdr.sgml : 20080530
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080530131756
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001236379-08-000010
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080530
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080530
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080530

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			IMAGEWARE SYSTEMS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000941685
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				330224167
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10883 THORNMINT RD
		STREET 2:		619-673-8600
		CITY:			SAN DIEGO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92127
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6196738600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10883 THORNMINT RD
		CITY:			SAN DIEGO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92127

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	IMAGEWARE SOFTWARE INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19991123

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Carey David W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001355416

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15757
		FILM NUMBER:		08869586

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		858-673-8600 X138

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10883 THORNMINT RD.
		CITY:			SAN DIEGO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92127
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-05-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000941685</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IMAGEWARE SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>iwsy</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001355416</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Carey David W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10883 THORNMINT RD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN DIEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92127</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>2008-05-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.52</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-05-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.57</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Wayne Wetherell, VP &amp; CFO, Attorney in Fact for David Carey</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----