SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 8-K

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

                        Date of Report: October 19, 2004

                       Citizens South Banking Corporation
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               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

         Delaware                      0-23971                  54-2069979
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(State or other jurisdiction       (Commission File         (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation)                Number)             Identification No.)

519 Soutn New Hope Road, Gastonia, North Carolina                28054-4040
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                         (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 704-868-5200




9.01. Exhibits

99 Additional Exhibits:

      (a)   Earnings Press Release of Citizens South Banking Corporation

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

      On October 18, 2004,  Citizens  South Banking  Corporation  issued a press
release to announce its results of  operations  for the quarters and nine months
ended  September  30, 2004 and 2003.  The text of the press  release and related
financial  supplements  are  included  as  Exhibit  99 (a) to this  report.  The
information included in the text and financial supplements of the press releases
is considered to be "furnished"  under the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934. The
Company will include final financial  statements and additional analyses for the
quarters  ended  September 30, 2004, and 2003, as part of its Form 10-Q covering
that period.

                                   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.

                                       CITIZENS SOUTH BANKING CORPORATION

DATE: October 19, 2004                 By: /s/ Kim S. Price
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Kim S. Price
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

                                       By: /s/ Gary F. Hoskins
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Gary F. Hoskins
                                           Chief Financial Officer