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

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 12, 2008

PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

Maryland	0-16421	52-1518642
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

114 East Lexington Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (410) 277-7000

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of Provident under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On November 14, 2008, as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”) Capital Purchase Program, Provident Bankshares Corporation (“Provident”) entered into a Letter Agreement and Securities Purchase Agreement (collectively, the “Purchase Agreement”) with the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”), pursuant to which Provident sold (i) 151,500 shares of Provident’s Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and (ii) a warrant (the “Warrant”) to purchase 2,374,608 shares of Provident’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock”), for an aggregate purchase price of $151.5 million in cash. The Purchase Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

The Series B Preferred Stock will qualify as Tier 1 capital and will pay cumulative dividends at a rate of 5% per annum for the first five years, and 9% per annum thereafter. The Series B Preferred Stock may be redeemed by Provident after three years. Prior to the end of three years, the Series B Preferred Stock may be redeemed by Provident only with proceeds from the sale of qualifying equity securities of Provident (a “Qualified Equity Offering”). The restrictions on redemption are set forth in the Articles Supplementary to the Provident Bankshares Corporation Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles Supplementary”) described in Item 5.03 below.

The Warrant has a 10-year term and is immediately exercisable upon its issuance, with an exercise price, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, equal to $9.57 per share of the Common Stock. The Warrant is attached as Exhibit 4.2 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. Treasury has agreed not to exercise voting power with respect to any shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of the Warrant.

The Series B Preferred Stock and the Warrant were issued in a private placement exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Upon the request of Treasury at any time, Provident has agreed to promptly enter into a deposit arrangement pursuant to which the Series B Preferred Stock may be deposited and depositary shares (“Depositary Shares”), representing fractional shares of Series B Preferred Stock, may be issued. Provident has agreed to register the Series B Preferred Stock, the Warrant, the shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrant (the “Warrant Shares”) and Depositary Shares, if any, as soon as practicable after the date of the issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock and the Warrant. Neither the Series B Preferred Stock nor the Warrant will be subject to any contractual restrictions on transfer, except that Treasury may only transfer or exercise an aggregate of one-half of the Warrant Shares prior to the earlier of the redemption of 100% of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock and December 31, 2009.

The Purchase Agreement also subjects Provident to certain of the executive compensation limitations included in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (the “EESA”). In this connection, as a condition to the closing of the transaction, each of Messrs. Gary N. Geisel, Dennis A. Starliper, Kevin G. Byrnes and Robert H. Newton, Jr., and Mrs. Jeanne M. Uphouse, Provident’s Senior Executive Officers (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) (the “Senior Executive Officers”), (i) executed a waiver (the “Waiver”) voluntarily waiving any claim against the Treasury or Provident for any changes to such Senior Executive Officer’s compensation or

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benefits that are required to comply with the regulation issued by the Treasury under the TARP Capital Purchase Program as published in the Federal Register on October 20, 2008 and acknowledging that the regulation may require modification of the compensation, bonus, incentive and other benefit plans, arrangements and policies and agreements (including so-called “golden parachute” agreements) (collectively, “Benefit Plans”) as they relate to the period the Treasury holds any equity or debt securities of Provident acquired through the TARP Capital Purchase Program; and (ii) entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) with Provident amending the Benefit Plans with respect to such Senior Executive Officer as may be necessary, during the period that the Treasury owns any debt or equity securities of Provident acquired pursuant to the Purchase Agreement or the Warrant, as necessary to comply with Section 111(b) of the EESA.

Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.

The information set forth under “Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02.

Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the ability of Provident to declare or pay dividends or distributions on, or purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for consideration, shares of its Junior Stock (as defined below) and Parity Stock (as defined below) will be subject to restrictions, including a restriction against increasing dividends from the last quarterly cash dividend per share ($0.11) declared on the Common Stock prior to November 14, 2008. The redemption, purchase or other acquisition of trust preferred securities of Provident or its affiliates also will be restricted. These restrictions will terminate on the earlier of (a) the third anniversary of the date of issuance of the Series B Preferred Stock and (b) the date on which the Series B Preferred Stock has been redeemed in whole or Treasury has transferred all of the Series B Preferred Stock to third parties. The restrictions described in this paragraph are set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

In addition, pursuant to the Articles Supplementary, the ability of Provident to declare or pay dividends or distributions on, or repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire for consideration, shares of its Junior Stock and Parity Stock will be subject to restrictions in the event that Provident fails to declare and pay full dividends (or declare and set aside a sum sufficient for payment thereof) on its Series B Preferred Stock. These restrictions are set forth in the Articles Supplementary described in Item 5.03.

“Junior Stock” means the Common Stock and any other class or series of stock of Provident the terms of which expressly provide that it ranks junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Provident. “Parity Stock” means any class or series of stock of Provident the terms of which do not expressly provide that such class or series will rank senior or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividend rights and/or rights on liquidation, dissolution or winding up of Provident (in each case without regard to whether dividends accrue cumulatively or non-cumulatively).

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Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensation Arrangements of Certain Officers.

The information concerning executive compensation set forth under “Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

Item 5.03. Amendment to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

On November 12, 2008, Provident filed Articles Supplementary with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the purpose of amending its Articles of Incorporation to fix the designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights of the Series B Preferred Stock. The Series B Preferred Stock has a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. The Articles Supplementary are attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 8.01. Other Information.

On November 17, 2008, Provident issued a press release announcing the sale of $151.5 million of Series B Preferred Stock to Treasury pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

The following exhibits are filed herewith:

Exhibit No.	Description of Exhibit
3.1	Articles Supplementary for the Series B Preferred Stock
4.1	Form of Certificate for the Series B Preferred Stock
4.2	Warrant for Purchase of Shares of Common Stock
10.1	Letter Agreement, dated November 14, 2008, between Provident Bankshares Corporation and United States Department of the Treasury, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Series B Preferred Stock and the Warrant
10.2	Form of Waiver, executed by each of Messrs. Gary N. Geisel, Dennis A. Starliper, Kevin G. Byrnes and Robert H. Newton, Jr., and Mrs. Jeanne M. Uphouse
99.1	November 17, 2008 Press Release

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SIGNATURES

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

PROVIDENT BANKSHARES CORPORATION

/s/ Robert L. Davis

Robert L. Davis

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Date: November 17, 2008

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