<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-06</periodOfReport>


    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000920148</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LABORATORY CORP OF AMERICA HOLDINGS</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001275833</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HAAS WILLIAM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Sales &amp; Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>17.6875</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-06-05</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-06-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4666</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>26.7031</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-08-17</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-08-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2666</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.0625</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-02-05</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-02-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>43.53</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-02-14</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-02-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14600</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>24.46</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-19</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-02-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>14600</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Options</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>28.18</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-03-25</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-03-25</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5400</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on June 5, 2001.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on August 17, 2001.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Incentive Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on February 5, 2002.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on February 14, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the National Health Laboratories Incorporated 1994 Stock Option Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on February 19, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Employee stock option (right to buy) granted pursuant to the Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 2000 Stock Incentive Plan.  The option vests in three equal annual installments beginning on March 25, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Actual exercise price was $26.703125.  The Edgar system truncates the price to only four decimal places.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit                Description
-------                -----------
24                     Power of Attorney form for William Haas</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Bradford T. Smith, Attorney-in-Fact for William Haas</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

