-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 S4GMgxPA2dvoGBW2qg51uxLUirYye1O/0Nnnv5Lz7tmNDH3hDNxIktwFmazz1seF
 b4OdahN6iq0hGgsWVLLzKg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001100682-03-000040.txt : 20030516
<SEC-HEADER>0001100682-03-000040.hdr.sgml : 20030516
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030516154537
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001100682-03-000040
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030515
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030516

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FOSTER JAMES C
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001141722

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15943
		FILM NUMBER:		03708556

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		251 BALLARDVALE ST
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01887

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		251 BALLARDVALE ST
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01887

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001100682
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS (NO DIAGNOSTIC SUBSTANCES) [2836]
		IRS NUMBER:				061397316

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		261 BALLARDVALE STREET
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01867
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9786586000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		251 BALLARDVALE ST
		CITY:			WILMINGTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01887

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19991208
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001141722d20030516f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument>    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion><documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-15</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001100682</issuerCik>        <issuerName>CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName><issuerTradingSymbol>CRL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001141722</rptOwnerCik>            <rptOwnerName>FOSTER JAMES C</rptOwnerName>        </reportingOwnerId>        <reportingOwnerAddress>            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>        </reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingO
wnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.33</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>237478</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>-25000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>30</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>212478</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.33</value></co
nversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>25000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.33</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-09-29</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>463824</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfO
wnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This trade was a quarterly sale pursuant to the Reporting Person's 10b5-1 trading plan for 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Dennis R. Shaughnessy</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-16</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----