<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-08</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000739421</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CITIZENS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CZFS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001215841</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OSBORNE TERRY B</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>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Class</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-08</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>12</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>26.99</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1073.9675</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Stock purchased thru a voluntary employee stock purchase program.  Stock was purchased over a period of days at different prices per share over that period of days.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">137 common class shares are held indirectly by the spouse.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Gina Marie Boor, Power of Attorney for Terry B. Osborne</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3107}]
4
2003-05-08
0
0000739421
CITIZENS FINANCIAL SERVICES INC
CZFS
0001215841
OSBORNE TERRY B
0
1
0
0
Executive Vice President
Common Class
2003-05-08
4
P
0
12
26.99
A
1073.9675
D
Stock purchased thru a voluntary employee stock purchase program.  Stock was purchased over a period of days at different prices per share over that period of days.
137 common class shares are held indirectly by the spouse.
Gina Marie Boor, Power of Attorney for Terry B. Osborne
2003-05-08