<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0407</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2023-06-30</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001453524</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DiVincenzo Jonathan P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>531 SOUTH SPRING STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BURLINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27215</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Pres, Central Labs &amp; Intl</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>0</aff10b5One>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Unit</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2023-06-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3036</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3036</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4700</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Restricted Stock Unit represents the contingent right to receive one share of Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">In connection with the spin-off (&quot;Spin-Off&quot;) of Fortrea Holdings Inc. (&quot;Fortrea&quot;) by Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (&quot;Labcorp&quot;), performance awards granted by Labcorp in 2021 for the 3-year performance period through December 31, 2023 (the &quot;2021 PSA&quot;) were converted into time-vesting restricted stock units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) of Labcorp pursuant to the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement by and between Labcorp and Fortrea (the &quot;EMA&quot;). The 2021 PSA was converted into a number of time-vesting Labcorp RSUs based on the degree of achievement of the performance criteria subject to the 2021 PSA prior to the Spin-Off and the adjustment ratio that applies to Labcorp equity awards in the Spin-Off, with vesting on the 30th day following Labcorp's filing of an annual report on Form 10-K that includes audited financial statements with respect to the 3-year period ending December 31, 2023. Amounts are estimates pending finalization of the adjustment ratio pursuant to the EMA.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This number reflects the aggregate number of Restricted Stock Units held by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sandra D. van der Vaart, Attorney-in-Fact for Jonathan P. DiVincenzo</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2023-07-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
