Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LAWRENCE JAMES G
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
VALLEY NATIONAL BANCORP [VLY] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1455 VALLEY ROAD		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/28/2009
(Street)

WAYNE, NJ 07470-		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 08/28/2009 08/28/2009 P   2,971.138 (1) A $ 11.78 4,134.138 (3) I Custodian For Son
Common Stock               283,662 (3) D  
Common Stock               19,452 I By Spouse
Common Stock               9,807 I Executor
Common Stock               2,104 I Spouse And Self/custodians For Grandchildren
Common Stock               30,359 I Trustee FBO Mother (2)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options $ 17.8762             11/27/2002 11/27/2011 Common Stock 6,156   6,156 D  
Stock Options $ 18.7238             11/18/2003 11/18/2012 Common Stock 7,036   7,036 D  
Stock Options $ 21.8286             11/17/2004 11/17/2013 Common Stock 16,080   16,080 D  
Stock Options $ 21.9143             11/26/2005 11/16/2014 Common Stock 15,316   15,316 D  
Stock Options $ 20.2952             11/14/2006 11/14/2015 Common Stock 17,624   17,624 D  
Stock Options $ 22.2095             11/13/2007 11/13/2016 Common Stock 16,785   16,785 D  
Stock Options $ 16.9619             02/12/2009 02/12/2018 Common Stock 11,025   11,025 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LAWRENCE JAMES G
1455 VALLEY ROAD
WAYNE, NJ 07470-		       Executive Vice President  

Signatures

 /s/ M. NASETTE ARANDA, AS ATTORNEY-IN-FACT   09/01/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares were purchased under Valley National Bancorp's Dividend Reinvestment Plan.
(2) Mr. Lawrence is a trustee of a trust for the benefit of his mother, of which he is a 45% beneficiary; and his son a 10% beneficiary, of which Mr. Lawrence is the trustee. The reported amount reflects Mr. Lawrence and his son's shares of the trust.
(3) Valley National Bancorp declared a 5% stock dividend on April 14, 2009, issued on May 22, 2009 to shareholders of record on May 8, 2009.

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