<PAGE>

   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2001

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                         Resource Bankshares Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


            Virginia                                    54-1904386
(State or other Jurisdiction of              (IRS Employer Identification No.)
 Incorporation or Organization)

       3720 Virginia Beach Blvd.                      (757) 463-2265
       Virginia Beach, VA 23452                 (Registrant's telephone number
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)             including area code)


                                  Resource Bank
                          Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                Lawrence N. Smith
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                          3720 Virginia Beach Boulevard
                         Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
                                 (757) 463-2265
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                       ___________________________________
                                    Copy to:
                          T. Richard Litton, Jr., Esq.
                                Kaufman & Canoles
                              One Commercial Place
                                  P.O. Box 3037
                             Norfolk, Virginia 23514
                                 (757) 624-3241

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==============================================================================================
<S> <C>
                                       Proposed Maximum  Proposed Maximum
   Title of Securities  Amount to be    Offering Price  Aggregate Offering      Amount of
    to be Registered    Registered(1)    Per Share(2)        Price(2)      Registration Fee(2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
$1.50 par value            250,000          $14.63         $3,657,500            $914.38
==============================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  This Registration Statement covers shares of Common Stock of Resource
     Bankshares Corporation which may be offered or sold pursuant to the
     Resource Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan.  In addition, pursuant to Rule
     416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement also
     covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant
     to the employee benefit plan described herein.  Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(2),
     no separate registration fee is required with respect to the interests in
     the Plan.  This Registration Statement also relates to an indeterminate
     number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon stock splits,
     stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416(a).
(2)  Pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h), the registration fee was computed on
     the basis of the price of shares of the Company's Common Stock on the
     NASDAQ National Market on September 27, 2001.
<PAGE>

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     Note:  The document(s) containing the information required by Item 1 of
Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and any
other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent or given to
participants as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act").  In accordance with Rule 428 and the
requirements of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as part of this
Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424 under the Securities Act.  Resource Bankshares Corporation (the
"Registrant"' or the "Company") shall maintain a file of such documents in
accordance with the provisions of Rule 428.  Upon request, the Registrant shall
furnish the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents
included in such file.


                                       1
<PAGE>

                                    PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                         AND NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


Item 3:   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
          ---------------------------------------

    The following documents of Resource Bankshares Corporation, a Virginia
corporation (the "Company"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"), are incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement:

          (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 2000 filed pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act").

          (b) All reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) of the
1934 Act since the end of the Company's fiscal year ended December 31, 2000.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock registered under the
1934 Act contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed
on July 20, 1998.

          (d) The Annual Report on Form 11-K of the Virginia Bankers Association
Master Defined Contribution Plan for Resource Bankshares Corporation, the
predecessor plan to the Plan to which this Registration statement relates, for
the Plan's fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 filed pursuant to Section 15(d)
of the 1934 Act.

    All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company or the
Plan (as defined below) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the
1934 Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that
all securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated in this
Registration Statement by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for the purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained in this Registration Statement or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated in this Registration
Statement by reference modifies or replaces such statement.  The term "Plan" as
used herein means the Resource Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan.

                                       2
<PAGE>

Item 4:  Description of Securities.
         -------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 5:  Interests of the Named Experts and Counsel.
         ------------------------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 6:  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
         -----------------------------------------

    Section 13.1-692.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the "Act")
provides that in any proceeding brought by or in the right of a corporation or
brought by or on behalf of shareholders of the corporation, the damages assessed
against an officer or director arising out of a single transaction, occurrence
or course of conduct shall not exceed the lesser of (1) the monetary amount,
including the elimination of liability, specified in the articles of
incorporation or, if approved by the shareholders, in the bylaws as a limitation
on or elimination of the liability of the officer or director, or (2) the
greater of (i) $100,000 or (ii) the amount of cash compensation received by the
officer or director from the corporation during the 12 months immediately
preceding the act or omission for which liability was imposed.  The liability of
an officer or director may not be limited under this section of the Act if the
officer or director engaged in willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the
criminal law or of any federal or state securities law, including, without
limitation, any claim of unlawful insider trading or manipulation of the market
for any security.

    Section 13.1-697 of the Act authorizes a Virginia corporation to indemnify
an individual made a party to a proceeding because he is or was a director
against liability incurred in the proceeding.  A Virginia corporation may not
indemnify a director under this section in connection with a proceeding by or in
the right of the corporation in which the director was adjudged liable to the
corporation or in connection with any other proceeding charging improper
personal benefit to him, whether or not involving action in his official
capacity, in which he was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was
improperly received by him.  Section 13.1-698 provides that, unless limited by
its articles of incorporation, a Virginia corporation must indemnify a director
who entirely prevails in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party
because he is or was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses
incurred by him in connection with the proceeding.  Section 13.1-702 of the Act
authorizes a Virginia corporation to indemnify its officers, employees or agents
to the same extent as directors.

    The Company's Articles of Incorporation provide that to the full extent that
the Act permits the limitation or elimination of the liability of directors or
officers, a director or officer of the Company shall not be liable to the
Company or its shareholders for monetary damages.  The Company's Articles of
Incorporation also provide that to the full extent permitted and in the manner
prescribed by the Act and any other applicable law, the Company shall indemnify
a director or officer of the Company who is or was a party to any proceeding by
reason of the fact that he is or was such a director or officer or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise.  Any aforesaid reference to directors, officers, employees
or agents includes former directors, officers, employees and agents and their
respective heirs, executors and administrators.

                                       3
<PAGE>

Item 7:  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
         -----------------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 8:  Exhibits.
         --------

  Number                               Description
  ------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.1   Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Resource Bankshares
          Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's
          Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000 filed on August 11,
          2000.)
    4.2   Bylaws of Resource Bankshares Corporation (incorporated herein by
          reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on July 1, 1998.)
   23.1   Consent of Goodman & Company, L.L.P.
   24     Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this
          Registration Statement).

    In lieu of an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with the requirements
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and an
Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") determination letter that the Plan is qualified
under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Company
hereby undertakes to submit the Plan and any amendments thereto to the IRS in a
timely manner and will make all changes required by the IRS in order to qualify
the Plan.

Item 9:  Undertakings.
         ------------

            (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
of the Securities Act of 1933;

                    (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most
recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
Registration Statement; and

                                       4
<PAGE>

                    (iii)  to include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement
or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

          Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          (b) The registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining
any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's
annual report or the Plan's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in this
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein; and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a  court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES


    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Virginia Beach, Commonwealth of Virginia, on
September 27, 2001.


                                    RESOURCE BANKSHARES CORPORATION


                                    By: /s/ Lawrence N. Smith
                                        -----------------------
                                    Lawrence N. Smith
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.  Each person, in so signing, also makes,
constitutes and appoints Lawrence N. Smith his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
in his place and stead, to execute and cause to be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission any and all amendments to this Registration Statement.

    Witness our hands and common seals on the date set forth below.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Signature                                      Title                                       Date
         ---------                                      -----                                       ----
<S> <C>

 /s/ Lawrence N. Smith             Director, Chief Executive Officer and President          September 27, 2001
 --------------------------        (Principal Executive Officer)
 Lawrence N. Smith


 /s/ Eleanor J. Whitehurst         Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer           September 27, 2001
 --------------------------        (Principal Financial Officer and Principal
 Eleanor J. Whitehurst             Accounting Officer)


 /s/ T.A. Grell, Jr.               Executive Vice President, Director                       September 27, 2001
 --------------------------
 T. A. Grell, Jr.


/s/ Alfred E. Abiouness            Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Alfred E. Abiouness


/s/ Thomas W. Hunt                 Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Thomas W. Hunt
</TABLE>


                                       6
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S> <C>
/s/ Louis R. Jones                 Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Louis R. Jones


/s/ A. Russell Kirk                Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
A. Russell Kirk


/s/ Elizabeth A. Twohy             Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Elizabeth A. Twohy

</TABLE>


    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Resource
Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan has duly caused this Registration Statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the
City of Virginia Beach, Commonwealth of Virginia, on September 27, 2001.


                                    Resource Bank Stock and 401(k)
                                    Savings Plan


                                    By:    /s/ Debra C. Dyckman
                                           --------------------
                                    Title:  Debra C. Dyckman, Plan Trustee


                                    By:    /s/ Eleanor J. Whitehurst
                                           -------------------------
                                    Title:  Eleanor J. Whitehurst, Plan Trustee


                                       7
<PAGE>

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

   The following exhibits are filed herewith unless otherwise indicated:


  Number                        Description
  ------                        -----------

    4.1    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Resource Bankshares
           Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's
           Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000 filed on August 11,
           2000.)
    4.2    Bylaws of Resource Bankshares Corporation (incorporated herein by
           reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on July 1, 1998.)
   23.1    Consent of Goodman & Company, L.L.P.
   24      Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this
           Registration Statement).


                                        8
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "ds8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 20514}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RESOURCE BANKSHARES CORP", "cik": "0001065002", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "541904386", "state-of-incorporation": "VA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-70412", "film-number": "1747683"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3720 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD", "city": "VIRGINIA BEACH", "state": "VA", "zip": "23452", "phone": "7574632265"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "3720 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD", "city": "VIRGINIA BEACH", "state": "VA", "zip": "23452"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 2001

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                         Resource Bankshares Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

            Virginia                                    54-1904386
(State or other Jurisdiction of              (IRS Employer Identification No.)
 Incorporation or Organization)

       3720 Virginia Beach Blvd.                      (757) 463-2265
       Virginia Beach, VA 23452                 (Registrant's telephone number
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)             including area code)

                                  Resource Bank
                          Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                Lawrence N. Smith
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                          3720 Virginia Beach Boulevard
                         Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
                                 (757) 463-2265
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
                       ___________________________________
                                    Copy to:
                          T. Richard Litton, Jr., Esq.
                                Kaufman & Canoles
                              One Commercial Place
                                  P.O. Box 3037
                             Norfolk, Virginia 23514
                                 (757) 624-3241

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
==============================================================================================
Proposed Maximum  Proposed Maximum
   Title of Securities  Amount to be    Offering Price  Aggregate Offering      Amount of
    to be Registered    Registered(1)    Per Share(2)        Price(2)      Registration Fee(2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,
$1.50 par value            250,000          $14.63         $3,657,500            $914.38
==============================================================================================
(1)  This Registration Statement covers shares of Common Stock of Resource
     Bankshares Corporation which may be offered or sold pursuant to the
     Resource Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan.  In addition, pursuant to Rule
     416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement also
     covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant
     to the employee benefit plan described herein.  Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(2),
     no separate registration fee is required with respect to the interests in
     the Plan.  This Registration Statement also relates to an indeterminate
     number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon stock splits,
     stock dividends or similar transactions in accordance with Rule 416(a).
(2)  Pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h), the registration fee was computed on
     the basis of the price of shares of the Company's Common Stock on the
     NASDAQ National Market on September 27, 2001.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     Note:  The document(s) containing the information required by Item 1 of
Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and any
other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent or given to
participants as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act").  In accordance with Rule 428 and the
requirements of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") either as part of this
Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424 under the Securities Act.  Resource Bankshares Corporation (the
"Registrant"' or the "Company") shall maintain a file of such documents in
accordance with the provisions of Rule 428.  Upon request, the Registrant shall
furnish the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents
included in such file.

                                       1
PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                         AND NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 3:   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
          ---------------------------------------

    The following documents of Resource Bankshares Corporation, a Virginia
corporation (the "Company"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"), are incorporated by reference into this Registration
Statement:

          (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 2000 filed pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act").

          (b) All reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) of the
1934 Act since the end of the Company's fiscal year ended December 31, 2000.

          (c) The description of the Company's Common Stock registered under the
1934 Act contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed
on July 20, 1998.

          (d) The Annual Report on Form 11-K of the Virginia Bankers Association
Master Defined Contribution Plan for Resource Bankshares Corporation, the
predecessor plan to the Plan to which this Registration statement relates, for
the Plan's fiscal year ended December 31, 1999 filed pursuant to Section 15(d)
of the 1934 Act.

    All reports and other documents subsequently filed by the Company or the
Plan (as defined below) pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the
1934 Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that
all securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated in this
Registration Statement by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for the purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained in this Registration Statement or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated in this Registration
Statement by reference modifies or replaces such statement.  The term "Plan" as
used herein means the Resource Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan.

                                       2
Item 4:  Description of Securities.
         -------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 5:  Interests of the Named Experts and Counsel.
         ------------------------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 6:  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
         -----------------------------------------

    Section 13.1-692.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the "Act")
provides that in any proceeding brought by or in the right of a corporation or
brought by or on behalf of shareholders of the corporation, the damages assessed
against an officer or director arising out of a single transaction, occurrence
or course of conduct shall not exceed the lesser of (1) the monetary amount,
including the elimination of liability, specified in the articles of
incorporation or, if approved by the shareholders, in the bylaws as a limitation
on or elimination of the liability of the officer or director, or (2) the
greater of (i) $100,000 or (ii) the amount of cash compensation received by the
officer or director from the corporation during the 12 months immediately
preceding the act or omission for which liability was imposed.  The liability of
an officer or director may not be limited under this section of the Act if the
officer or director engaged in willful misconduct or a knowing violation of the
criminal law or of any federal or state securities law, including, without
limitation, any claim of unlawful insider trading or manipulation of the market
for any security.

    Section 13.1-697 of the Act authorizes a Virginia corporation to indemnify
an individual made a party to a proceeding because he is or was a director
against liability incurred in the proceeding.  A Virginia corporation may not
indemnify a director under this section in connection with a proceeding by or in
the right of the corporation in which the director was adjudged liable to the
corporation or in connection with any other proceeding charging improper
personal benefit to him, whether or not involving action in his official
capacity, in which he was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was
improperly received by him.  Section 13.1-698 provides that, unless limited by
its articles of incorporation, a Virginia corporation must indemnify a director
who entirely prevails in the defense of any proceeding to which he was a party
because he is or was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses
incurred by him in connection with the proceeding.  Section 13.1-702 of the Act
authorizes a Virginia corporation to indemnify its officers, employees or agents
to the same extent as directors.

    The Company's Articles of Incorporation provide that to the full extent that
the Act permits the limitation or elimination of the liability of directors or
officers, a director or officer of the Company shall not be liable to the
Company or its shareholders for monetary damages.  The Company's Articles of
Incorporation also provide that to the full extent permitted and in the manner
prescribed by the Act and any other applicable law, the Company shall indemnify
a director or officer of the Company who is or was a party to any proceeding by
reason of the fact that he is or was such a director or officer or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan
or other enterprise.  Any aforesaid reference to directors, officers, employees
or agents includes former directors, officers, employees and agents and their
respective heirs, executors and administrators.

                                       3
Item 7:  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
         -----------------------------------

    Not applicable.

Item 8:  Exhibits.
         --------

  Number                               Description
  ------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    4.1   Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Resource Bankshares
          Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's
          Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000 filed on August 11,
          2000.)
    4.2   Bylaws of Resource Bankshares Corporation (incorporated herein by
          reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on July 1, 1998.)
   23.1   Consent of Goodman & Company, L.L.P.
   24     Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this
          Registration Statement).

    In lieu of an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with the requirements
of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and an
Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") determination letter that the Plan is qualified
under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Company
hereby undertakes to submit the Plan and any amendments thereto to the IRS in a
timely manner and will make all changes required by the IRS in order to qualify
the Plan.

Item 9:  Undertakings.
         ------------

            (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

                    (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
of the Securities Act of 1933;

                    (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most
recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
Registration Statement; and

                                       4
(iii)  to include any material information with respect to
the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement
or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

          Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do
not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

               (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and

               (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

          (b) The registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining
any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's
annual report or the Plan's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in this
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein; and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a  court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       5
SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Virginia Beach, Commonwealth of Virginia, on
September 27, 2001.

                                    RESOURCE BANKSHARES CORPORATION

                                    By: /s/ Lawrence N. Smith
                                        -----------------------
                                    Lawrence N. Smith
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.  Each person, in so signing, also makes,
constitutes and appoints Lawrence N. Smith his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
in his place and stead, to execute and cause to be filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission any and all amendments to this Registration Statement.

    Witness our hands and common seals on the date set forth below.
Signature                                      Title                                       Date
         ---------                                      -----                                       ----
/s/ Lawrence N. Smith             Director, Chief Executive Officer and President          September 27, 2001
 --------------------------        (Principal Executive Officer)
 Lawrence N. Smith

 /s/ Eleanor J. Whitehurst         Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer           September 27, 2001
 --------------------------        (Principal Financial Officer and Principal
 Eleanor J. Whitehurst             Accounting Officer)

 /s/ T.A. Grell, Jr.               Executive Vice President, Director                       September 27, 2001
 --------------------------
 T. A. Grell, Jr.

/s/ Alfred E. Abiouness            Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Alfred E. Abiouness

/s/ Thomas W. Hunt                 Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Thomas W. Hunt
6
/s/ Louis R. Jones                 Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Louis R. Jones

/s/ A. Russell Kirk                Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
A. Russell Kirk

/s/ Elizabeth A. Twohy             Director                                                 September 27, 2001
--------------------------
Elizabeth A. Twohy
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Resource
Bank Stock and 401(k) Savings Plan has duly caused this Registration Statement
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the
City of Virginia Beach, Commonwealth of Virginia, on September 27, 2001.

                                    Resource Bank Stock and 401(k)
                                    Savings Plan

                                    By:    /s/ Debra C. Dyckman
                                           --------------------
                                    Title:  Debra C. Dyckman, Plan Trustee

                                    By:    /s/ Eleanor J. Whitehurst
                                           -------------------------
                                    Title:  Eleanor J. Whitehurst, Plan Trustee

                                       7
EXHIBIT INDEX

   The following exhibits are filed herewith unless otherwise indicated:

  Number                        Description
  ------                        -----------

    4.1    Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Resource Bankshares
           Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's
           Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000 filed on August 11,
           2000.)
    4.2    Bylaws of Resource Bankshares Corporation (incorporated herein by
           reference to the Registrant's Form 8-K filed on July 1, 1998.)
   23.1    Consent of Goodman & Company, L.L.P.
   24      Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages of this
           Registration Statement).

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