-----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,
 VsvgKF1UGEr3750pu6z7XzdtkJ0tKgU7rivTyWACVU/5WeVfEt/Zji/KXVm5bcUW
 0UDv83N7kmnQFPabsTx1Wg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001131030-03-000097.txt : 20030825
<SEC-HEADER>0001131030-03-000097.hdr.sgml : 20030825
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030825135357
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001131030-03-000097
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030821
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030825

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FIRST BANCORP /NC/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000811589
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				561421916
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NC
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		341 NORTH MAIN ST
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 508
		CITY:			TROY
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			27371-0508
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9105766171

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			THOMASSON VIRGINIA C
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001131038

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-15572
		FILM NUMBER:		03864045

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O FIRST BANCORP
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 508
		CITY:			TROY
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			27371
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9105766171
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001131038d20030825f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-21</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000811589</issuerCik><issuerName>FIRST BANCORP /NC/</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>FBNC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001131038</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>THOMASSON VIRGINIA C</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>P. O. BOX 1744</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>SOUTHERN PINES</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>28388</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable>
<nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-21</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>26.891</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3174</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTabl
e><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.04</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-06-30</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-06-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8310</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8310</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>23.05</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-06-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDa
te><value>2012-06-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-06-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-06-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><pos
tTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>VIRGINIA C THOMASSON</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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