SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* GEISEL GARY N (Last) (First) (Middle) 114 EAST LEXINGTON STREET (Street) BALTIMORE MD 21202 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORP [ (PBKS) ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) Chairman and CEO
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/14/2007
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	12/14/2007		P		500	A	$22.11	29,055	D
Common Stock								9,822.478(1)	I	By 401(k)
Common Stock								1,900	I	By Stock Award(2)
Common Stock								2,917	I	By Stock Award II(3)
Common Stock								3,697	I	By Stock Award III(4)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$27.76							02/13/1998(5)	02/13/2008	Common Stock	3,688		3,688	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$18.19							10/20/1999(5)	10/20/2009	Common Stock	17,563		17,563	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$18.51							12/20/2000(5)	12/20/2010	Common Stock	21,000		21,000	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$20.87							03/21/2001(5)	03/21/2011	Common Stock	52,500		52,500	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$24.68							01/16/2003(5)	01/16/2012	Common Stock	15,000		15,000	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$33.66							02/16/2006(6)	02/16/2013	Common Stock	20,000		20,000	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	$23.875							04/16/2004(5)	04/16/2013	Common Stock	25,000		25,000	D
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right to buy)	$36							02/15/2007(7)	02/15/2014	Common Stock	20,619		20,619	D
Non-Qualified Stock Options (right-to-buy)	$32.22							02/18/2004(5)	02/18/2014	Common Stock	40,000		40,000	D
Stock Options (right to buy)	$35.7							02/21/2008(8)	02/21/2015	Common Stock	36,330		36,330	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. This form reflects increases in beneficial ownership resulting from exempt acquisitions under a 401(k) plan pursuant tor Rule 16b-3(c).

2. Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 16, 2006.

3. Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 15, 2007.

4. Stock Awards granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 21, 2008.

5. Non-Qualified Stock Options granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan are fully vested and exercisable.

6. Stock Options granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 16, 2006.

7. Stock Options granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 15, 2007.

8. Stock Options granted pursuant to the Provident Bankshares Corporation 2004 Equity Compensation Plan vest in four annual installments commencing on February 21, 2008.

Remarks:

	By: Robert L. Davis, Power of Attorney	12/17/2007
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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