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

         Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 28, 2005

                              CENTER BANCORP, INC.

             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


       New Jersey                 2-81353                  52-1273725
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (State or Other       (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
     Jurisdiction                                       Identification No.)
  of Incorporation)

             2455 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey       07083
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Address of principal executive offices)    (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (800) 862-3683

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 communications pursuant 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 pursuant 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))


<PAGE>


Item 2.02.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

      On July 28, 2005, Center Bancorp,  Inc. (the "Registrant")  issued a press
release  regarding results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2005. A copy of
this press  release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this  Current  Report on Form
8-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (c)   Exhibits

      Exhibit  99.1 - Press  release,  dated  July 28,  2005,  regarding  second
      quarter results

      The only  portions  of  Exhibit  99.1 which are to be deemed  "filed"  for
purposes  of  Section  18 of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  are  the
Registrant's  consolidated  statements of condition,  consolidated statements of
income and average  balance  sheets with interest and average  rates.  All other
portions of Exhibit 99.1 are deemed "furnished",  and not "filed",  for purposes
of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.


<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE

      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.

                              CENTER BANCORP, INC.

                              By: /s/ John J. Davis
                                 ----------------------------------------------
                                 Name:   John J. Davis
                                 Title:    President and Chief Executive Officer

Dated:  July 29, 2005


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


      Exhibit  99.1 - Press  release,  dated  July 28,  2005,  regarding  second
quarter results
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CENTER BANCORP INC", "cik": "0000712771", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "521273725", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-11486", "film-number": "05985967"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2455 MORRIS AVE", "city": "UNION", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07083", "phone": "9086889500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2455 MORRIS AVE", "city": "UNION", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07083"}}
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

         Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 28, 2005

                              CENTER BANCORP, INC.

             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

       New Jersey                 2-81353                  52-1273725
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (State or Other       (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
     Jurisdiction                                       Identification No.)
  of Incorporation)

             2455 Morris Avenue, Union, New Jersey       07083
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Address of principal executive offices)    (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (800) 862-3683

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 communications pursuant 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 pursuant 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))
Item 2.02.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

      On July 28, 2005, Center Bancorp,  Inc. (the "Registrant")  issued a press
release  regarding results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2005. A copy of
this press  release is included as Exhibit 99.1 to this  Current  Report on Form
8-K.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (c)   Exhibits

      Exhibit  99.1 - Press  release,  dated  July 28,  2005,  regarding  second
      quarter results

      The only  portions  of  Exhibit  99.1 which are to be deemed  "filed"  for
purposes  of  Section  18 of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  are  the
Registrant's  consolidated  statements of condition,  consolidated statements of
income and average  balance  sheets with interest and average  rates.  All other
portions of Exhibit 99.1 are deemed "furnished",  and not "filed",  for purposes
of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
SIGNATURE

      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.

                              CENTER BANCORP, INC.

                              By: /s/ John J. Davis
                                 ----------------------------------------------
                                 Name:   John J. Davis
                                 Title:    President and Chief Executive Officer

Dated:  July 29, 2005
EXHIBIT INDEX

      Exhibit  99.1 - Press  release,  dated  July 28,  2005,  regarding  second
quarter results