SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-A


                           FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN
                              CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



                              RIVER VALLEY BANCORP
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



          INDIANA                                              35-1984567
   (State of incorporation                                  (I.R.S. Employer
       or organization)                                  Identification Number)


                                303 Clifty Drive
                                  P.O. Box 626
                             Madison, Indiana 47250
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

                                    Copy to:
                             CLAUDIA V. SWHIER, ESQ.
                               Barnes & Thornburg
                          1313 Merchants Bank Building
                            11 South Meridian Street
                           Indianapolis, Indiana 46204


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                                       NONE

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                         COMMON STOCK, WITHOUT PAR VALUE
                                (Title of class)






                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 1.  Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

         The  description of the  Registrant's  Common Stock,  without par value
(the  "Common  Stock"),  is  incorporated  herein by  reference  to the sections
entitled  "Restrictions  on Acquisition of the Holding Company" and "Description
of Capital Stock" on pages 140-146 of the  prospectus  forming part of Amendment
No. 2 to the  Registration  Statement on Form S-1  (Registration  No.  333-5121)
which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 1996.

Item 2.  Exhibits.

         The exhibits filed  herewith or  incorporated  by reference  herein are
listed on the Exhibit Index at page 4 of this Form 8-A.


                                                        -2-





                                                    SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 12 of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant  has duly caused this  registration  statement to be
filed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                                    RIVER VALLEY BANCORP


                                    By:      /s/ James E. Fritz
                                             James E. Fritz,  President


Dated:  November 11, 1996




                                       -3-




                                  EXHIBIT LIST


I.  Exhibits filed with the Commission.

Number Assigned
   in Form 8-A                Description of Exhibit


   1(a)        The  Articles  of  Incorporation  of  River  Valley  Bancorp  are
               incorporated   herein  by   reference  to  Exhibit  3(1)  to  the
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-5121).
       
   1(b)        The Code of By-Laws of River Valley  Bancorp is  incorporated  by
               reference to Exhibit 3(2) to the  Registration  Statement on Form
               S-1 (Registration No. 333-5121).
              

                                                        -4-