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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AgPO10Bd/lmhhJ9r0NTYdCxMDvmnwLLOipwfxqlxPREnk4khiRva9dB8pOf1px9M
 eEnneuFS16z/XUpgp6Dxmw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001240064-03-000001.txt : 20031218
<SEC-HEADER>0001240064-03-000001.hdr.sgml : 20031218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031218183039
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001240064-03-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031216
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031218

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MARTINO KAREN I
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001240064

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-23809
		FILM NUMBER:		031063352

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		FIRST SENTINEL BANCORP INC
		STREET 2:		1000 WOODBRIDGE CENTER DRIVE PO BOX 5003
		CITY:			WOODBRIDGE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07095
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7327269700

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIRST SENTINEL BANCORP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001051092
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, NOT FEDERALLY CHARTERED [6036]
		IRS NUMBER:				223566151
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1000 WOODBRIDGE CENTER DRIVE
		CITY:			WOODBRIDGE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07095
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7327268700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1000 WOODBRIDGE CENTER DRIVE
		CITY:			WOODBRIDGE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07095

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	FIRST SOURCE BANCORP INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19971209
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-16</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001051092</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FIRST SENTINEL BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FSLA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001240064</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARTINO KAREN I</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1000 WOODBRIDGE CENTER DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WOODBRIDGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>07095</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>AWARDS 2003</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-16</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F6"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOw
nership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Awards 1998</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9304.8647</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Bank 401K</value></securityTitle><postTransact
ionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21333.8095</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401K Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common ESOP Trust</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>23907.0691</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>ESOP Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Awards 1998</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1250</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipN
ature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Options 1998</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-12-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>40000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock 
Option Plan 1996</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.775</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-11-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9470</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9470</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Shares granted under the Company's 1998 Stock Based Incentive Plan; awards are earned at a rate of 20% per year commencing December 16, 1999.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Reflects purchase thru the 401K Plan and the Dividend Reinvestment Plan at variou pr
ices since the last filing.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Shares granted under the Company's 1998 Stock Based Incentive Plan - awards earned at a rate of 50% per year commencing December 16, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Options granted under the Company's 1998 Stock Based Incentive Plan; options become exercisable at a rate of 20% per year commencing December 16, 1999.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Officers options granted under the Stock Options 1996 Plan.  All options are currently exercisable.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Shares granted on December 16, 2003 under the Company's 2003 Key Employee Equity Compensation Plan.  All share awards vest 100% on December 16, 2004.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Karen I. Martino</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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