Exhibit 32

Certification

Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

(Subsections (a) and (b) of Section 1350, Chapter 63 of Title 18, United States Code)

Pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (subsections (a) and (b) of section 1350, chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code), each of the undersigned officers of FNB United Corp., a North Carolina corporation (the “Corporation”), does hereby certify that:

The Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 (the “Form 10-Q”) of the Corporation fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and information contained in the Form 10-Q fairly presents, in all materials respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Corporation.

Date:    May 15, 2012    /s/ BRIAN E. SIMPSON

Brian E. Simpson        

Chief Executive Officer

Date:    May 15, 2012/s/ DAVID L. NIELSEN

David L. Nielsen

Chief Financial Officer

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (subsections (a) and (b) of section 1350, chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code) and is not being filed as part of the Form 10-Q or as a separate disclosure document.