<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-03-17</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000729237</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PARKWAY PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PKY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001532644</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lipsey M. Jayson</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ORLANDO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>32801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-03-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>821</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.23</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110867</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On March 17, 2016, 3,000 restricted share units vested, and the Reporting Person instructed the Company to withhold 821 shares to cover tax withholding obligations as permitted under the Company's 2015 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeremy Dorsett, on behalf of M. Jayson Lipsey, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-03-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3403}]
X0306
4
2016-03-17
0000729237
PARKWAY PROPERTIES INC
PKY
0001532644
Lipsey M. Jayson
390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE
SUITE 2400
ORLANDO
FL
32801
0
1
0
0
EVP, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Common Stock
2016-03-17
4
F
0
821
15.23
D
110867
D
On March 17, 2016, 3,000 restricted share units vested, and the Reporting Person instructed the Company to withhold 821 shares to cover tax withholding obligations as permitted under the Company's 2015 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended.
/s/ Jeremy Dorsett, on behalf of M. Jayson Lipsey, as Attorney-in-Fact
2016-03-21