SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                       January 27, 2004 (January 20, 2004)
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                             OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                      Ohio
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                               0-20914 31-1359191
          (Commission file number) (IRS Employer Identification Number)

                    420 Third Avenue, Gallipolis, Ohio 45631
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (740) 446-2631

                                 Not Applicable
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)





                            Exhibit Index at Page 4.



Item 1. Changes in Control of Registrant.
         Not applicable.

Item 2. Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
         Not applicable.

Item 3. Bankruptcy or Receivership.
         Not applicable.

Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant.
         Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.
     On January 20, 2004 the Company's  Board of Directors  adopted a resolution
authorizing  the repurchase of up to 175,000 shares or  approximately  5% of the
Company's  outstanding  common  shares  from  time to time  in  open  market  or
privately negotiated purchases. The timing of the purchases, the prices paid and
the actual number of common shares  purchased will depend on market  conditions.
This stock  repurchase  program,  effective  immediately,  will continue through
February 15, 2005, unless the program is extended by the Board of Directors. The
stock repurchase program is described in the press release issued on January 27,
2004, which is included herewith as Exhibit 99.

Item 6. Resignations of Registrant's Directors.
         Not applicable.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (a)      None required.

         (b)      None required.

         (c)      Exhibits:

                  Exhibit Number        Description
                  --------------        -----------
                       99               Press release of Registrant dated
                                        Januuary 27, 2004.

Item 8. Change in Fiscal Year.
         Not applicable.

Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure.
         Not applicable.





                                     Page 2


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.



                                                 OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP


Date: January 27, 2004                           By /s/ Jeffrey E. Smith
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                 Jeffrey E. Smith, President and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer







                                     Page 3


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit Number                                      Description
- --------------                                      -----------
     99                            Press release of Ohio Valley Banc Corp. *


January 27, 2004
*Filed herewith











                                     Page 4


                                   Exhibit 99


NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/27/2004
Contact: Richard Scott,  (740) 446-2631, 1-800-468-6682



                     OVBC ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM


GALLIPOLIS,  Ohio -- Ohio Valley Banc Corp. [NASDAQ: OVBC] was authorized by its
Board of Directors on January 20, 2004, to  repurchase  up to 175,000  shares of
OVBC common stock through open market and privately  negotiated  purchases.  The
timing of the  purchases,  the prices  paid and the  actual  number of shares of
common  stock  purchased  will  depend upon market  conditions  and  limitations
imposed by  applicable  federal  securities  laws.  All  shares of common  stock
purchased will be held as treasury  shares and will be available for use by OVBC
pursuant  to the  terms of  OVBC's  Dividend  Reinvestment  and  Employee  Stock
Purchase Plan as well as for other general corporate purposes.

Jeffrey  E.  Smith,  president  and chief  executive  officer,  commented,  "Our
shareholders purchased more than 49,000 shares of common stock in 2003 under the
Dividend   Reinvestment   Plan  (DRIP)  and  Employee   Stock   Purchase.   This
authorization  by our Board will permit the purchase of shares,  when available,
to meet the demand for DRIP shares."

All  purchases  will be made by OVBC between  February 16, 2004 and February 15,
2005, unless OVBC's Board of Directors extends the program. On January 20, 2004,
OVBC had 3,493,000 shares of common stock outstanding.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  operates three  subsidiaries:  Ohio Valley Bank, with 17
offices in Ohio and West Virginia;  Loan Central, with five offices in Ohio; and
Ohio Valley Financial Services Agency. Ohio Valley Banc Corp. stock is traded on
the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol OVBC.

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