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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-03-02</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001532404</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>O'Reilly David R.</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 &amp; CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-03-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1094</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.56</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>255078</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On March 2, 2015, 4,000 restricted share units vested and the Reporting Person instructed the Company to withhold 1,094 shares to cover tax withholding obligations as permitted under the Company's 2013 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By:/s/Jeremy Dorsett, on behalf of David O'Reilly as Attorney-in-Fact.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-03-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "edgar.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3398}]
X0306
4
2015-03-02
0000729237
PARKWAY PROPERTIES INC
PKY
0001532404
O'Reilly David R.
390 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE
SUITE 2400
ORLANDO
FL
32801
0
1
0
0
EVP & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Common Stock
2015-03-02
4
F
0
1094
17.56
D
255078
D
On March 2, 2015, 4,000 restricted share units vested and the Reporting Person instructed the Company to withhold 1,094 shares to cover tax withholding obligations as permitted under the Company's 2013 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.
By:/s/Jeremy Dorsett, on behalf of David O'Reilly as Attorney-in-Fact.
2015-03-04