<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   07/25/03  TT    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2004-01-02</periodOfReport>
   <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000700733</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NPBC</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001145521</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BODY JOHN H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BOX 148</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TREXLERTOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>18105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>1</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
      </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
 <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>6784.2974</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>0</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>144124.4592</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-09-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>248.824</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>0</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>5265.1780</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>Spouse</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
 </nonDerivativeTable>
 <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>32.67</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2004-01-02</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>1149</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>0</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
         <value>2006-01-02</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2014-01-02</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>1149</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>1149</value>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
 </derivativeTable>
   <footnotes>
      <footnote id="F1"> Includes 6,784.2974 shares acquired pursuant to the Company's payment of a 5% stock dividend declared August 27, 2003 and paid September 30, 2003, and includes shares acquired upon reinvestment of cash dividends under the Company's exempt Dividend Reinvestment Plan: 1,180.328 on 2/17/03, 1,025.0974 on 5/17/03, 1,068.0276 on 8/17/03, and 1,087.213 on 11/17/03.</footnote>

      <footnote id="F2"> Includes 248.824 shares acquired pursuant to the Company's payment of a 5% stock dividend declared August 27, 2003 and paid September 30, 2003, and includes shares acquired upon reinvestment of cash dividends under the Company's exempt Dividend Reinvestment Plan: 43.29 on 2/17/03, 37.5968 on 5/17/03, 39.1714 on 8/17/03, and 39.875 on 11/17/03</footnote>

      <footnote id="F3"> Reflects adjustment on account of 5% stock dividend paid by the Company on September 30, 2003.</footnote>

      <footnote id="F4"> Under certain circumstances, the exercise date may be accelerated, but not to a date before 7/2/04, except in the case of death or disability.</footnote>

      <footnote id="F5"> Additional options held with various exercise prices or expiration dates.  Total options held, after adjustment for 5% stock dividend paid by the Company on September 30, 2003, are 25,294.</footnote>
   </footnotes>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Teresa D. Steuer, Power of Attorney</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

