-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 H9NhmWRboB+BY6ZBiSbR5CzlHtmEPDFQY/4/OLH0oxOVxRgUywk/8ffFXqcnKvUC
 1n5KAVoqmYkOUGhwbMxTIg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001100682-03-000045.txt : 20030604
<SEC-HEADER>0001100682-03-000045.hdr.sgml : 20030604
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030604103734
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001100682-03-000045
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030603
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030604

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BERTHOUX CHRISTOPHER
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001199981

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15943
		FILM NUMBER:		03731489

	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>c0001199981d20030604f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-03</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001100682</issuerCik><issuerName>CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001199981</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>BERTHOUX CHRISTOPHER</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>OFFICERS</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.33</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>23752</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><trans
actionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>-4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>31.77</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>19752</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equ
itySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>-1000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>32</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18752</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></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCod
e><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</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>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3540</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This trade occured pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan
.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Deborah E. Gray</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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