Contact:

Patriot National Bank

900 Bedford Street

Stamford, CT 06901

Charles F. Howell

President and CEO

Robert F. O’Connell

SEVP & CFO

(203) 324-7500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PATRIOT NATIONAL BANCORP, INC. ANNOUNCES ITS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

Stamford, CT, MARCH 16, 2006. Patriot National Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ Small Cap "PNBK"), the parent of Patriot National Bank, announced that it has declared a quarterly dividend on its Common Stock.

The dividend, in the amount of $0.04 per share, will be payable on April 18, 2006 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 4, 2006.