<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   04/22/03  TZ    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-05-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000700733</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NPBC</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
      <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001145543</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WEAVER SHARON L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>0</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
         <officerTitle>Group Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
       </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>3694</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>16.8592</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
     <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>0</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>3694</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>30.00</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
     <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>2074.9110</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>522.986</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>0</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
     <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>5670.952</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>401K Plan</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>16.8592</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>3694</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionValue>
           <value>0</value>
         </transactionValue>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
         <value>1995-09-22</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2003-10-22</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>3694</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>0</value>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
         </valueOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>D</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <footnotes>
<footnote id="F1"> Includes 9.2938 shares upon reinvestment of cash dividends under the Company's exempt Dividend Reinvestment Plan on 2/17/03.</footnote>

<footnote id="F2"> Includes 17.0931 shares acquired pursuant through Company's exempt Employee Stock Purchase Plan during first and second quarters 2003.</footnote>

<footnote id="F3"> Includes 384.294 shares acquired during fourth quarter 2002 and 138.692 shares acquired during the first quarter 2003 pursuant to the Company's Capital Accumulation Plan (a 401(k) plan). The total is based on the most recent plan statement available (as fo March 31,2003). All shares were acquired in routine new-money acquisitions exempt under Rule 16b-3(c) and Rule 16a-3 (f)(1)(I)(B).</footnote>

<footnote id="F4"> This option was adjusted to reflect the 5% stock dividend paid by the Company on December 27, 2002.</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 December 27, 2002, are 64,948.</footnote>
   </footnotes>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Sharon L. Weaver</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

