8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 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):  October 27, 2004

                            CAPITAL CORP OF THE WEST
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

          California                     0-27384                 77-0147763
(State or Other Jurisdiction         (Commission File          (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)                  Number)             Identification No.)

                 550 West Main Street, Merced, California 95340
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (209) 725-2200
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (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 the registrant 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 8.01 Other Events

On October 26, 2004, Capital Corp of the West (Nasdaq: CCOW) announced that its
board of directors had declared a $.05 per share fourth quarter 2004 cash
dividend for shareholders of record as of November 8, 2004, payable on November
29, 2004.

ITEM 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

Not Applicable


(b) Pro Forma Financial Information.

Not Applicable


(c) Exhibits

99.1  Copy of press release, dated October 12, 2004, issued by Capital Corp of
      the West.

                                   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 hereunto duly authorized.

                                         Capital Corp of the West
                                         ------------------------
                                                (Registrant)

Dated: October 27, 2004                  By /s/ David A. Curtis
- -----------------------                     ------------------------------------
                                            David A. Curtis
                                            Vice President and Controller

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1


              Capital Corp of the West Announces a $.05 Per Share
                          Fourth Quarter Cash Dividend

    MERCED, Calif., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Capital Corp of the West
(Nasdaq: CCOW), the holding company for County Bank, Central California's
Community Bank, announced that, yesterday its board of directors declared a
$.05 per share fourth quarter 2004 cash dividend for shareholders of record as
of November 8, 2004, payable on November 29, 2004.

    "This fourth quarter $.05 a share cash dividend continues the trend
started in the first quarter of this year," stated Tom Hawker Chief Executive
Officer of Capital Corp of the West. "Our sustained strong performance,
evidenced by the recent opening of our 20th branch office, our fourth in
Fresno; and our recent third quarter results of a 16% gain in assets while
maintaining a 16% Return on Equity (ROE), allows for the payment of this cash
dividend."

    Capital Corp of the West, a bank holding company established November 1,
1995, is the parent company of County Bank, which has more than 27 years of
service as "Central California's Community Bank."  Currently County Bank has
twenty branch offices serving the counties of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa,
Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, San Francisco and Tuolumne.  As of the latest
FDIC data, County Bank has 6.5% market share of the six counties in which it
has retail branches.  This ranks County Bank fifth out of thirty-nine
financial institutions in its market area. For further information about the
Company's financial performance, contact Tom Hawker, President & Chief
Executive Officer at 209-725-2276, or R. Dale McKinney Chief Financial
Officer, at 209-725-7435.



SOURCE  Capital Corp of the West
    -0-                             10/27/2004
    /CONTACT:  Thomas T. Hawker, President / Chief Executive Officer,
+1-209-725-2276, or R. Dale McKinney, EVP / Chief Financial Office,
+1-209-725-7435, both of Capital Corp of the West/
    /Web site:  http://www.ccow.com /
    (CCOW)

CO:  Capital Corp of the West
ST:  California
IN:  FIN
SU:  DIV