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

    <schemaVersion>X0305</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-05-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000726514</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ESIO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001435872</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wong Bing-Fai</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>13900 NW SCIENCE PARK DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PORTLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97229</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP Customer Service</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1106</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>52525.9163</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>43.0884</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>52569.0047</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-05-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2600.7774</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.7</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49968.2273</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares awarded in excess of original Performance-based Restricted Stock Units granted on May 14, 2009 and reported on Form 4.  Excess earned based on actual performance achieved.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These awards result from dividend equivalents pursuant to the underlying Performance-based Restricted Stock Unit agreeemnts.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Payment of tax liability by delivering shares incident to the vesting of restricted stock units in accordance with Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Kerry L Mustoe for Bing-Fai Wong</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-05-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0305
4
2012-05-29
0
0000726514
ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES INC
ESIO
0001435872
Wong Bing-Fai
13900 NW SCIENCE PARK DRIVE
PORTLAND
OR
97229
0
1
0
0
VP Customer Service
Common Stock
2012-05-29
4
A
0
1106
0
A
52525.9163
D
Common Stock
2012-05-29
4
A
0
43.0884
0
A
52569.0047
D
Common Stock
2012-05-29
4
F
0
2600.7774
11.7
D
49968.2273
D
Shares awarded in excess of original Performance-based Restricted Stock Units granted on May 14, 2009 and reported on Form 4.  Excess earned based on actual performance achieved.
These awards result from dividend equivalents pursuant to the underlying Performance-based Restricted Stock Unit agreeemnts.
Payment of tax liability by delivering shares incident to the vesting of restricted stock units in accordance with Rule 16b-3.
By: Kerry L Mustoe for Bing-Fai Wong
2012-05-31