-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 C3+w1Cm4pg7nUio+Nt/p6KV7LKxqUiYUNnYr01bvebbUAQ3VggwgtEsojZZRL6Ev
 1mB/JY47mQqDKk/tunUxJg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-026598.txt : 20031015
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-026598.hdr.sgml : 20031013
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031015132106
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-026598
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031010
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031015

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HARRIS JAY R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001107275

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13795
		FILM NUMBER:		03941355

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O GOLDSMITH & HARRIS INC
		STREET 2:		80 PINE STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10005
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2125145515

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN VANGUARD CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000005981
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	AGRICULTURE CHEMICALS [2870]
		IRS NUMBER:				952588080
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4695 MACARTHUR COURT
		CITY:			NEWPORT BEACH
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92660
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9492601200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4695 MACARTHUR COURT
		CITY:			NEWPORT BEACH
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92660

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AEROCON INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19720620
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd20349.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-10-10</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000005981</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN VANGUARD CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVD</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001107275</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARRIS JAY R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>80 PINE STREET; 33 FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10005</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>14429</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>175813</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Various</value><fo
otnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-10-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>106126</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">1,600 shares are held 
by a trust established by the reporting person's mother for which he is a trustee. 174,213 shares are held by a partnership in which the reporting person is a general partner, provided that the reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities held by the partnership except to the extent of his pecuniary interests therein.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 49,099 shares held in an individual Retirement Account.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Gift Transaction</footnote><footnote id="F4">Gift Transaction</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Jay R. Harris</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----