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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,
 MiQvMVKYpuCGXfmfS7HEppWm0ZJtCiHX1mEbo/vA7cOqaLe/BTTiKxoKzE+IzvIZ
 nRS9ROhAJncP1B9B6Pgm3g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-007206.txt : 20030509
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-007206.hdr.sgml : 20030509
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030508191129
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-007206
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030508
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030509

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TEJON RANCH CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000096869
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION - CROPS [0100]
		IRS NUMBER:				770196136
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4436 LEBEC ROAD
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 1000
		CITY:			LEBEC
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93243
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6612483000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4436 LEBEC RD
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 1000
		CITY:			LEBEC
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93243

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STINE ROBERT A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001179841

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07183
		FILM NUMBER:		03688939

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4436 LEBEC RD
		CITY:			LEBEC
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93243
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6616634220

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4436 LEBEC RD
		CITY:			LEBEC
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93243
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd8572.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="http://www.RRDnetfiler.com/XSL/SEC_Form_4.xsl"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-08</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000096869</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEJON RANCH CO</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>TRC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
<rptOwnerCik>0001179841</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STINE ROBERT A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>President / CEO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Tejon Ranch Co. Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2335</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>16.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>583009</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Tejon ranch Co. Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>28.10</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>15956</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Tejon Ranch Co. Incentive Stock Options</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>16.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-08</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2335</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>16.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>1996-05-01</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2006-04-30</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>TRC Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>2335</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>583009</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">These shares are in the name of Robert A. and Betty C. Stine, as trustees for the Stine Family Trust.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">These shares are in the name of Robert A. and Betty C. Stine, as trustees for the Stine Family Trust.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Robert A. Stine</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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