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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,
 Gw8YJYsADBuWNKKpuLROXJu9wWtSXBME18Z1iFqMw4cW6JsdPrHluCFTwbBIF5z7
 ZCz3Nf2uPWCLU76RHraikw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001100682-04-000010.txt : 20040123
<SEC-HEADER>0001100682-04-000010.hdr.sgml : 20040123
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040123135602
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001100682-04-000010
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040121
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040123

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CAWTHORN ROBERT
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001162891

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15943
		FILM NUMBER:		04540090

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		36 S. ROAD
		CITY:			WARWICK
		STATE:			D0
		ZIP:			WKD2

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		36 S. ROAD
		CITY:			WARWICK
		STATE:			D0
		ZIP:			WKD2

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>c0001162891d20040123f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-21</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0001100682</issuerCik><issuerName>CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CRL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001162891</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>CAWTHORN ROBERT</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>251 BALLARDVALE STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>01887</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription>BERMUDA</rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></repo
rtingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>37.4416</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>296700</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDeriv
ativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>37.6618</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>291700</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable></derivativ
eTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This trade occured pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Dennis R. Shaughnessy</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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