8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                             -----------------------

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 22, 2004

                              RIVER VALLEY BANCORP

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                     INDIANA

                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                    2-47541                           35-1984567
           (Commission File Number)         (IRS Employer Identification No.)

                                430 Clifty Drive
                             Madison, Indiana 47250
               (Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (812) 265-3421






Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     (c)  Exhibits

          99.1 Press Release dated January 22, 2004.

Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

     River Valley Bancorp, an Indiana corporation ("Registrant"), issued a press
release  which was  publicly  disseminated  on January 22, 2004  announcing  its
results of  operations  for the quarter  ended  December 31, 2003. A copy of the
press  release is  furnished  herewith  as  Exhibit  99.1.  Pursuant  to General
Instruction B.6 of Form 8-K, this exhibit is not "filed" for purposes of Section
18 of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, but is instead furnished as required
by that instruction.



                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.




                                       /s/ Larry C. Fouse
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Larry C. Fouse, Vice President of Finance

Dated: January 23, 2004

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

                              River Valley Bancorp
                  Announces Higher Earnings for the Fiscal Year
                             Ended December 31, 2003

For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 22, 2004

Madison,  Indiana - January 22, 2004- River  Valley  Bancorp  (NASDAQ  Small Cap
Symbol "RIVR"),  an Indiana  corporation (the "Corporation") and holding company
for River Valley Financial Bank, based in Madison,  Indiana  announced  earnings
for the fiscal year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2003.

Net income for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003 was $2,655,000.  Earnings
per basic share for fiscal  2003,  reflecting  the  previously  announced  stock
split, was $1.67. This compares to net income for fiscal 2002 of $2,558,000,  or
$1.64 per basic share.  The  earnings  for 2003 reflect a 3.8% dollar  increase.
Included  in  fiscal  2002,  however,  was an  after-tax  gain of  approximately
$212,000 from the disposition of a former banking  facility.  Excluding that one
time gain in 2002, earnings for period to period comparison was up approximately
13% and a 10% improvement on earnings per share for the comparable periods.  The
return on average assets for fiscal 2003 was 1.11%; the return on average equity
was 12.22%.  For fiscal 2002 those numbers,  including that one time gain,  were
1.22% and 13.21% respectively.

Assets  totaled  $255.1  million as of December 31, 2003,  an increase of 13.9%,
from $224.0 million recorded as of December 31, 2002. Net loans, including loans
held for sale, were $192.3 million as of December 31, 2003, an increase of $26.3
million,  or 15.8%,  from that  recorded as of December 31, 2002.  Deposits also
increased  by $18.2  million,  or 11.2%,  from that  recorded for the year ended
2002, to $180.0 million as of December 31, 2003.

Stockholder's  equity as of  December  31,  2003 was $22.9  million,  or 9.0% as
expressed as a percentage  of assets.  Book value of River Valley  Bancorp stock
was $13.88 as of December 31, 2003, compared to $12.73 at December 31, 2002.

"Calendar year 2003 was another record year. The Corporation attained records in
earnings, in asset growth, as well as, in loan and deposit growth, all while our
shareholders enjoyed record dividends and price appreciation," states Matthew P.
Forrester,  president  of  River  Valley  Bancorp.  The CEO  further  adds,  "As
important as these benchmarks are, there would be no gratification if we did not
exceed those  expectations  each and every year.  Calendar  year 2003 marked the
fifth consecutive year we have exceeded the previous year's standards."

For the fourth  quarter ended December 31, 2003,  the  Corporation  reported net
income of  $629,000  or $0.39 per basic  share.  This  compared to net income of
$615,000 or $0.39 per basic share for the quarter ended  December 31, 2002.  The
increase for the quarter reflected a 2.2% improvement in the dollar amount.

For the fiscal year, the Corporation's stock traded in a split effected range of
$14.20 to $29.62. The stock closed on December 31, 2003 at $29.43.

Contact:  Matthew P. Forrester - President, CEO
          River Valley Bancorp
          812-273-4949