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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 GxukVlUeHckQ2XJZsJ+OoA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-015318.txt : 20030724
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-015318.hdr.sgml : 20030724
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030724163939
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-015318
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030716
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030724

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ECB BANCORP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001066254
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				562090738
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NC
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 337
		STREET 2:		HWY 264
		CITY:			ENGELHARD
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			27824
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2529259411

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GIBBS ANNA MAE H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001220870

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-24753
		FILM NUMBER:		03801286

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 39
		CITY:			ENGELHARD
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			27824
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2529259411
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd13981.xml
<DESCRIPTION>AMENDMENT TO JULY 16, 2003 FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-16</periodOfReport>
<dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-07-21</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001066254</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ECB BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ECBE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220870</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GIBBS ANNA MAE H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-16</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>23.015</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>469129</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-17</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>200</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>23.04</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>468929</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-17</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>599</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>23.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>468330</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>300</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>23.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>468030</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">In addition to the listed shares, the reporting person is deemed to beneficially own, jointly with her son, 828 shares of the issuer&apos;s common stock.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">The transactions described in the Amendment were previously reported in a Form 4 filed on July 21, 2003.  That Form 4 also mistakenly reported a sale of 10,000 shares of common stock that did not in fact occur.  This Amendment is being filed to delete the mistakenly reported transaction from the Form 4.  The transactions described above are the previously reported transactions and are not new or amended.  They are being rereported merely to gain access to the electronic filing system.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Anna Mae H. Gibbs, By:  William R. Lathan, Jr., Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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