8-K

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                             CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
                         TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) August 25, 2005


                         Premier Financial Bancorp, Inc.
            --------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    Kentucky
            --------------------------------------------------------
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

                  0-20908                     61-1206757
            --------------------------------------------------------
            (Commission File No.)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)


                2883 Fifth Avenue Huntington, West Virginia 25702
            --------------------------------------------------------
              (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (304) 525-1600
            --------------------------------------------------------
               Registrant's telephone number, including area code

                                 Not Applicable
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changes since last report)

     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

  |_|  Written communication pursant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
       (17 CFR 230.425)

  |_|  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
       (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

  |_|  Pre-commencement communications pursant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
       Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

  |_|  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
       Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




                    INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT


Item 7.01.  Regulation FD Disclosure

     On August 25, 2005, Premier issued a press release announcing the Federal
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's (FRB) approval of Premier's request to
pay the September 30, 2005 quarterly distribution of the Company's 9.75% Trust
Preferred Securities payable to shareholders of record on September 15, 2005.

     Under a previously disclosed Written Agreement entered into with the FRB
on January 29, 2003, Premier is required to request approval for the payment of
quarterly distributions due on the Trust Preferred Securities.


Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

    (c) Exhibit 99.1 - Press Release dated August 25, 2005.



     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                  PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP, INC.
                                  -------------------------------
                                           (Registrant)


                                   /s/ Brien M. Chase
                                  -----------------------------------
Date: August 25, 2005              Brien M. Chase, Vice President
                                     and Chief Financial Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


    Exhibit Number                     Description
    --------------                     -------------------------------------
        99.1                           Press Release dated August 25, 2005,
                                        captioned "Premier Financial Bancorp,
                                        Inc. Announces Approval of September
                                        Distribution of Trust Preferred
                                        Securities".

EX-99

                                  EXHIBIT 99.1
                                  ------------

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                          CONTACT: BRIEN M. CHASE, CFO
AUGUST 25, 2005                                     304-525-1600

                         PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP, INC.
                  ANNOUNCES APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER DISTRIBUTION
                          OF TRUST PREFERRED SECURITIES

         PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP, INC. (PREMIER), HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA
(NASDAQ/NMS-PFBI) a community bank holding company with five bank subsidiaries
today announced that it received approval from the Federal Reserve Bank of
Cleveland (FRB) to pay the regularly scheduled September 30 distribution on its
9.75% Trust Preferred Securities issued by PFBI Capital Trust
(NASDAQ/NMS-PFBIP). Shareholders of record on September 15, 2005 will receive
$0.609375 per share for the regularly scheduled quarterly distribution due
September 30, 2005.

         Under a previously disclosed Written Agreement entered into with the
FRB on January 29, 2003, Premier is required to request approval for the payment
of quarterly distributions on the Trust Preferred Securities. Although the FRB
has given its approval to pay the current distribution due September 30 ,2005,
Premier is still bound by the Written Agreement and will be required to request
the FRB's approval to pay future distributions. Management intends to seek the
FRB's approval for payment of future regularly scheduled quarterly distributions
on the Trust Preferred Securities but no assurance can be given that the FRB
will grant such approval.

         Certain Statements contained in this news release, including without
limitation statements including the word "believes," "anticipates," "intends,"
"expects" or words of similar import, constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"). Such forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual
results, performance or achievements of Premier to be materially different from
any future results, performance or achievements of Premier expressed or implied
by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, general
economic and business conditions, changes in business strategy or development
plans and other factors referenced in this press release. Given these
uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on such forward-looking statements. Premier disclaims any obligation to update
any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of
the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or
developments.