UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                        Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                     --------------------------------------


                               September 19, 2000
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)


                              CENIT BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


             Delaware                    0-20378                 54-1592546
-------------------------------   -----------------------  --------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                           Identification Number)


300 E. Main Street, Suite 1350
          Norfolk, Virginia                                      23510
--------------------------------------                        ----------
(Address of principal executive office)                       (Zip code)


      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:    (757) 446-6600






<PAGE>



Item 4 - Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant

     On September 19, 2000, the Registrant's  Board of Directors voted to engage
the  accounting  firm of KPMG  LLP as the  principal  accountant  to  audit  the
Registrant's  financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2000,
to replace the firm of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  the  principal  accountant
engaged to audit the Registrant's  financial  statements as of December 31, 1999
and 1998,  and for each of the years in the two year period  ended  December 31,
1999.

     The  Registrant  conducted  a  competitive  proposal  process to select the
independent public accountant to audit the Registrant's financial statements for
the fiscal year ending  December  31, 2000.  The  Registrant's  Audit  Committee
received  bids  from  several  independent  public  accounting  firms  including
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP.  After  reviewing the proposals,  the  Registrant's
Audit  Committee  selected  KPMG LLP,  and the  Registrant's  Board of Directors
approved this selection on September 19, 2000.

     PricewaterhouseCoopers   LLP  did  not  resign  or  decline  to  stand  for
reelection.  The Registrant decided, following the competitive proposal process,
not to  retain  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP  with  respect  to the  audit of the
Registrant's  consolidated  financial  statements for periods beginning with the
fiscal year ending  December  31,  2000 and  thereafter.  PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP's reports on the  consolidated  financial statements as of December 31, 1999
and 1998,  and for each of the years in the two year period  ended  December 31,
1999,  contained  no  adverse  opinion  or  disclaimer  of  opinion and were not
qualified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

     In connection  with the audits of the two fiscal years ending  December 31,
1999 and through the subsequent  interim period preceding the engagement of KPMG
LLP, there were no disagreements with  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP on any matter
of  accounting  principles  or  practices,  financial  statement  disclosure  or
auditing  scope or  procedures,  which  disagreements  if not  resolved to their
satisfaction  would have caused them to make reference in connection  with their
reports on the financial statements to the subject matter of the disagreement.

     The Registrant requested that  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP furnish it with a
letter  addressed to the Securities and Exchange  Commission  stating whether it
agrees with the above statements. A copy of PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP's letter
to the Securities and Exchange Commission, dated September 26, 2000, is filed as
Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.

Item 7 - Financial statements and exhibits

     The exhibit  listed in the Exhibit Index is filed  herewith as part of this
Current Report on Form 8-K.

                                        2
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     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 thereunto duly authorized.




                                           CENIT BANCORP, INC.




DATE: September 26, 2000                   /S/ John O. Guthrie
                                           John O. Guthrie
                                           Senior Vice President and
                                           Chief Financial Officer


                                        3
<PAGE>


EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT                    DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                        PAGE

   16.1                    Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP         5







































                                        4
<PAGE>

EXHIBIT 16.1
Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP



September 26, 2000



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549

Commissioners:

We have read the statements made by Cenit Bancorp,  Inc. (copy attached),  which
we understand will be filed with the Commission, pursuant to Item 4 of Form 8-K,
as part of the Company's Form 8-K report dated September 19, 2000. We agree with
the  statements  concerning  our Firm in such Form 8-K,  except  that we make no
comment  regarding  either the second  paragraph of the Item 4 disclosure or the
second sentence of the third paragraph of the Item 4 disclosure.

Very truly yours,



PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP





                                        5
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UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT
                        Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                     --------------------------------------

                               September 19, 2000
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                              CENIT BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Delaware                    0-20378                 54-1592546
-------------------------------   -----------------------  --------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                           Identification Number)

300 E. Main Street, Suite 1350
          Norfolk, Virginia                                      23510
--------------------------------------                        ----------
(Address of principal executive office)                       (Zip code)

      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:    (757) 446-6600
Item 4 - Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant

     On September 19, 2000, the Registrant's  Board of Directors voted to engage
the  accounting  firm of KPMG  LLP as the  principal  accountant  to  audit  the
Registrant's  financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2000,
to replace the firm of  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  the  principal  accountant
engaged to audit the Registrant's  financial  statements as of December 31, 1999
and 1998,  and for each of the years in the two year period  ended  December 31,
1999.

     The  Registrant  conducted  a  competitive  proposal  process to select the
independent public accountant to audit the Registrant's financial statements for
the fiscal year ending  December  31, 2000.  The  Registrant's  Audit  Committee
received  bids  from  several  independent  public  accounting  firms  including
PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP.  After  reviewing the proposals,  the  Registrant's
Audit  Committee  selected  KPMG LLP,  and the  Registrant's  Board of Directors
approved this selection on September 19, 2000.

     PricewaterhouseCoopers   LLP  did  not  resign  or  decline  to  stand  for
reelection.  The Registrant decided, following the competitive proposal process,
not to  retain  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP  with  respect  to the  audit of the
Registrant's  consolidated  financial  statements for periods beginning with the
fiscal year ending  December  31,  2000 and  thereafter.  PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP's reports on the  consolidated  financial statements as of December 31, 1999
and 1998,  and for each of the years in the two year period  ended  December 31,
1999,  contained  no  adverse  opinion  or  disclaimer  of  opinion and were not
qualified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

     In connection  with the audits of the two fiscal years ending  December 31,
1999 and through the subsequent  interim period preceding the engagement of KPMG
LLP, there were no disagreements with  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP on any matter
of  accounting  principles  or  practices,  financial  statement  disclosure  or
auditing  scope or  procedures,  which  disagreements  if not  resolved to their
satisfaction  would have caused them to make reference in connection  with their
reports on the financial statements to the subject matter of the disagreement.

     The Registrant requested that  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP furnish it with a
letter  addressed to the Securities and Exchange  Commission  stating whether it
agrees with the above statements. A copy of PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP's letter
to the Securities and Exchange Commission, dated September 26, 2000, is filed as
Exhibit 16.1 to this Form 8-K.

Item 7 - Financial statements and exhibits

     The exhibit  listed in the Exhibit Index is filed  herewith as part of this
Current Report on Form 8-K.

                                        2
SIGNATURES

     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 thereunto duly authorized.

                                           CENIT BANCORP, INC.

DATE: September 26, 2000                   /S/ John O. Guthrie
                                           John O. Guthrie
                                           Senior Vice President and
                                           Chief Financial Officer

                                        3
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT                    DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                        PAGE

   16.1                    Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP         5

                                        4
EXHIBIT 16.1
Letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

September 26, 2000

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20549

Commissioners:

We have read the statements made by Cenit Bancorp,  Inc. (copy attached),  which
we understand will be filed with the Commission, pursuant to Item 4 of Form 8-K,
as part of the Company's Form 8-K report dated September 19, 2000. We agree with
the  statements  concerning  our Firm in such Form 8-K,  except  that we make no
comment  regarding  either the second  paragraph of the Item 4 disclosure or the
second sentence of the third paragraph of the Item 4 disclosure.

Very truly yours,

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

                                        5