INCOME TAXES - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2025	Mar. 30, 2024
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Effective tax rate (as percent)	28.10%	24.80%
Increase in unrecognized tax benefits	$ 2.3
Unrecognized tax benefits	27.3
Increase in unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	0.9
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	22.9
Accrued interest on unrecognized tax benefits	2.2
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits that are reasonably possibly over the next twelve-month period	$ 8.9

Increase (Decrease) In Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate

No definition available.

Name:	crl_IncreaseDecreaseInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	crl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease reasonably possible in the next twelve months for the unrecognized tax benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DecreaseInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossible
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 231
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482663/740-10-55-231

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 217
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482663/740-10-55-217

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15A

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482525/740-10-45-10B

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of interest expense accrued for an underpayment of income taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in unrecognized tax benefits attributable to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15A

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant