8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 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): September 21, 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

     Check the  appropriate  box below if the Form 8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

|_|  Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the  Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

|_|  Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|  Pre-commencement   communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


Section 8. Other Events

Item 8.01. Other Events.

     On September 21, 2004, the Registrant announced that it had declared a cash
dividend of $0.18 per share of its Common Stock for the quarter ending September
30,  2004.  Also on  September  21,  2004,  the  Registrant  announced  that its
wholly-owned subsidiary, River Valley Financial Bank, applied with its regulator
for the establishment of a branch office in Sellersburg,  Indiana. A copy of the
press  release is  furnished  herewith  as  Exhibit  99.1.  Pursuant  to General
Instruction  F of  Form  8-K,  this  Exhibit  is  incorporated  herein  by  this
reference.

Section 9. Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

     (c) Exhibits

          99.1 Press Release dated September 21, 2004.



                                   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: September 24, 2004

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1




                River Valley Bancorp Announces Quarterly Dividend
                  and Application to Establish a Branch Office



For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 21, 2004


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



Madison,  Indiana - 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  today that River Valley
Bancorp has declared a cash  dividend of $0.18 per share of its Common Stock for
the quarter ending  September 30, 2004. The dividend is payable October 15, 2004
to the holders of record on September  30, 2004.  This dividend  represents  the
thirtieth consecutive dividend paid by the Corporation.

In other news, the Corporation's wholly owned subsidiary has made application to
its regulator for the establishment of a branch office in Sellersburg,  Indiana.
It is  anticipated  that the  facility  located  along SR 311,  better  known as
Charlestown Road, would be operational in the second quarter of 2005.

River Valley  Bancorp/River  Valley Financial Bank is based in Madison,  Indiana
and has six locations in the Madison, Hanover, and Charlestown,  Indiana area. A
seventh office is located in Carrollton, KY.