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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-12-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000726958</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CASEYS GENERAL STORES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CASY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001303323</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Walljasper William J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE SE CONVENIENCE BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANKENY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>50021</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior VP and CFO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-12-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>E</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20552</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6437</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Voting and tender rights under 401k plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option - right to buy</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.26</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2012-06-23</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-06-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>15300.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15300</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option - right to buy</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>44.39</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2014-06-23</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-06-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted stock units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3250.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3250</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted stock units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3250.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3250</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted stock units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1773.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1773</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Allocated to Mr. Walljasper's 401k plan account as of April 30, 2017.  Does not include any shares allocated by the plan trustee after that date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2000 Stock Option Plan (or predecessor plan).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 5, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive, following vesting, one share of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 2, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 15, 2020. Not included in the reported award amount is a target amount of performance-based restricted stock units that will vest on June 15, 2020, but which are subject to the satisfaction of certain performance criteria other than solely the price of Casey's Common Stock; the final amount of shares earned, if any, will be reported upon vest and satisfaction of those performance measures.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Scott Faber, under Power of Attorney dated March 3, 2017</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-12-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2017-12-19
0
0000726958
CASEYS GENERAL STORES INC
CASY
0001303323
Walljasper William J
ONE SE CONVENIENCE BLVD.
ANKENY
IA
50021
0
1
0
0
Senior VP and CFO
Common Stock
2017-12-19
5
G
0
E
500
0
D
20552
D
Common Stock
6437
I
Voting and tender rights under 401k plan
Option - right to buy
25.26
2012-06-23
2019-06-23
Common Stock
15300.0
15300
D
Option - right to buy
44.39
2014-06-23
2021-06-23
Common Stock
20000.0
20000
D
Restricted stock units
Common Stock
3250.0
3250
D
Restricted stock units
Common Stock
3250.0
3250
D
Restricted stock units
Common Stock
1773.0
1773
D
Allocated to Mr. Walljasper's 401k plan account as of April 30, 2017.  Does not include any shares allocated by the plan trustee after that date.
Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2000 Stock Option Plan (or predecessor plan).
Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.
Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 5, 2018.
Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive, following vesting, one share of Common Stock.
Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 2, 2019.
Pursuant to terms and conditions of 2009 Stock Incentive Plan.  This award will vest in full on June 15, 2020. Not included in the reported award amount is a target amount of performance-based restricted stock units that will vest on June 15, 2020, but which are subject to the satisfaction of certain performance criteria other than solely the price of Casey's Common Stock; the final amount of shares earned, if any, will be reported upon vest and satisfaction of those performance measures.
Scott Faber, under Power of Attorney dated March 3, 2017
2017-12-20