As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 5, 2000--
                                                           Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                          INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Michigan                                  38-2032782
  (State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)

                230 West Main Street, Ionia, Michigan        48846
             (Address of Principal Executive Offices)       (Zip Code)
             Independent Bank Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
              William R. Kohls, P.O. Box 491, Ionia, Michigan 48846
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                          Copies of Communications to:
                              Michael G. Wooldridge
                      Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett
                      333 Bridge Street, N.W., P.O. Box 352
                        Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-0352
                                 (616) 336-6000
<TABLE>
                                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================
                                Proposed Proposed
      Title of                                         Maximum                Maximum
  Securities to be           Amount to be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     Registered               Registered            Per Share(2)          Offering Price        Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>                        <C>                   <C>                     <C>
Common Stock
($1.00 Par Value)          516,000 Shares(1)          $17.28125             $8,917,125              $2,354.12
====================================================================================================================
</TABLE>
(1)      Represents the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance
         under the Independent Bank Corporation  Employee Stock Option Plan (the
         "Plan").  This Registration  Statement also covers such  indeterminable
         additional number of shares as may be issuable under the Plan by reason
         of adjustments in the number of shares covered  thereby as described in
         the Prospectus.
(2)      For the purpose of computing the registration fee only, the price shown
         is based upon the price of $17.28125 per share, the average of the high
         and  low  sales  prices  for  the  Common  Stock  of  Independent  Bank
         Corporation  in the NASD National  Market System on October 3, 2000, in
         accordance with Rule 457(h).


Pursuant  to  Rule  416(a)  of the  General  Rules  and  Regulations  under  the
Securities Act of 1933, this Registration  Statement shall cover such additional
securities as may be offered or issued to prevent dilution  resulting from stock
splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
<PAGE>
                          INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION
                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT


     The  Company's   Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-8  (Registration  No.
33-62090), providing for the registration of shares issuable under the Company's
Employee  Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is hereby  incorporated  by  reference.
This  Registration  Statement  provides for the  registration  of an  additional
516,000 shares of the same class of securities issuable under the Plan.




                                      S-1
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, the Company
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  Ionia,  State  of  Michigan,  on the  29th  day of
September, 2000.

                                          INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION


                                          By  /s/ Charles C. Van Loan
                                              Charles C. Van Loan, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each person whose  signature  appears
below  constitutes  and appoints  Charles C. Van Loan and William R. Kohls,  and
each of them, his or her true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  and agent, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution,  for him and in his or her name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective  amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority,  granting
unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing  required and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in
person,  hereby  ratifying and  confirming  all that said  attorney-in-fact  and
agent, or his or her  substitute,  may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed  below on September  29,  2000,  by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.


/s/ Charles C. Van Loan                           /s/ Terry L. Haske
Charles C. Van Loan, Director                     Terry L. Haske, Director

/s/ Charles A. Palmer                             /s/ Thomas F. Kohn
Charles A. Palmer, Director                       Thomas F. Kohn, Director

/s/ Robert J. Leppink                             /s/ Arch V. Wright, Jr.
Robert J. Leppink, Director                       Arch V. Wright, Jr., Director

/s/ Keith E. Bazaire                              /s/ James Twarozynski
Keith E. Bazaire, Director                        James Twarozynski, Principal
                                                  Accounting Officer

/s/ William R. Kohls                              /s/ Jeffrey A. Bratsburg
William R. Kohls, Executive Vice President,       Jeffrey A. Bratsburg, Director
Secretary, Treasurer, and Chief Financial
Officer                                           /s/ Robert L. Hetzler
                                                  Robert L. Hetzler, Director

                                      S-2
<PAGE>
               CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


The Board of Directors
Independent Bank Corporation

We consent to the use of our report  incorporated herein by reference and to the
reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus.



                                         /s/ KPMG LLP



Detroit, Michigan
October 2, 2000




                                      S-3
<PAGE>
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

     The following exhibits are filed as a part of the Registration Statement:




Item 4            Independent Bank Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan,
                  As Amended

Item 5            Opinion of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett

Item 23(a)        Consent of KPMG LLP - included on page S-3 hereof

Item 23(b)        Consent of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett-included in
                  Exhibit 5

Item 24           Power of Attorney - included on page S-2 hereof



                                      S-4
<PAGE>
                                 October 4, 2000



Independent Bank Corporation
230 West Main Street
P.O. Box 491
Ionia, Michigan   48846

     Re:     Registration Statement on Form S-8 Relating to the Independent Bank
             Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan

Gentlemen:

     With respect to the Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (the  "Registration
Statement"),  filed by Independent Bank Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the
"Company"),  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  for the purpose of
registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  516,000 shares of the
Company's common stock, par value $1.00 per share, for issuance  pursuant to the
Company's  Employee  Stock  Option  Plan (the  "Plan"),  we have  examined  such
documents  and  questions of law we consider  necessary or  appropriate  for the
purpose of giving this opinion.  On the basis of such evaluation,  we advise you
that in our opinion the 516,000  shares  covered by the  Registration  Statement
upon the exercise of stock option,  as the prices  described in the Registration
Statement,  but not less than the par value  thereof,  and upon delivery of such
shares and payment  therefor in accordance with the terms stated in the Plan and
the  Registration  Statement,  will be duly and legally  authorized,  issued and
outstanding and will be fully paid and nonassessable.

     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are within the category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of
the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  or under the rules and  regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission relating thereto.

                                   Sincerely,

                     VARNUM, RIDDERING, SCHMIDT & HOWLETTLLP

                            /s/ Michael G. Wooldridge

                         Michael G. Wooldridge, Partner



                                    EXHIBIT 5

::ODMA\PCDOCS\GRR\481029\2

                                      S-5
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10470}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "INDEPENDENT BANK CORP /MI/", "cik": "0000039311", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "382032782", "state-of-incorporation": "MI", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-47352", "film-number": "735130"}, "business-address": {"street1": "230 W MAIN ST", "street2": "PO BOX 491", "city": "IONIA", "state": "MI", "zip": "48846", "phone": "6165279450"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "230 W MAIN ST", "city": "IONIA", "state": "MI", "zip": "48846"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 5, 2000--
                                                           Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                          INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             Michigan                                  38-2032782
  (State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)

                230 West Main Street, Ionia, Michigan        48846
             (Address of Principal Executive Offices)       (Zip Code)
             Independent Bank Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)
              William R. Kohls, P.O. Box 491, Ionia, Michigan 48846
                     (Name and address of agent for service)
                          Copies of Communications to:
                              Michael G. Wooldridge
                      Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett
                      333 Bridge Street, N.W., P.O. Box 352
                        Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-0352
                                 (616) 336-6000

                                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================
                                Proposed Proposed
      Title of                                         Maximum                Maximum
  Securities to be           Amount to be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     Registered               Registered            Per Share(2)          Offering Price        Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock
($1.00 Par Value)          516,000 Shares(1)          $17.28125             $8,917,125              $2,354.12
====================================================================================================================
(1)      Represents the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance
         under the Independent Bank Corporation  Employee Stock Option Plan (the
         "Plan").  This Registration  Statement also covers such  indeterminable
         additional number of shares as may be issuable under the Plan by reason
         of adjustments in the number of shares covered  thereby as described in
         the Prospectus.
(2)      For the purpose of computing the registration fee only, the price shown
         is based upon the price of $17.28125 per share, the average of the high
         and  low  sales  prices  for  the  Common  Stock  of  Independent  Bank
         Corporation  in the NASD National  Market System on October 3, 2000, in
         accordance with Rule 457(h).

Pursuant  to  Rule  416(a)  of the  General  Rules  and  Regulations  under  the
Securities Act of 1933, this Registration  Statement shall cover such additional
securities as may be offered or issued to prevent dilution  resulting from stock
splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION
                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

     The  Company's   Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-8  (Registration  No.
33-62090), providing for the registration of shares issuable under the Company's
Employee  Stock Option Plan (the "Plan") is hereby  incorporated  by  reference.
This  Registration  Statement  provides for the  registration  of an  additional
516,000 shares of the same class of securities issuable under the Plan.

                                      S-1
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, the Company
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  Ionia,  State  of  Michigan,  on the  29th  day of
September, 2000.

                                          INDEPENDENT BANK CORPORATION

                                          By  /s/ Charles C. Van Loan
                                              Charles C. Van Loan, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each person whose  signature  appears
below  constitutes  and appoints  Charles C. Van Loan and William R. Kohls,  and
each of them, his or her true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  and agent, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution,  for him and in his or her name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities,  to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective  amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority,  granting
unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing  required and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in
person,  hereby  ratifying and  confirming  all that said  attorney-in-fact  and
agent, or his or her  substitute,  may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed  below on September  29,  2000,  by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.

/s/ Charles C. Van Loan                           /s/ Terry L. Haske
Charles C. Van Loan, Director                     Terry L. Haske, Director

/s/ Charles A. Palmer                             /s/ Thomas F. Kohn
Charles A. Palmer, Director                       Thomas F. Kohn, Director

/s/ Robert J. Leppink                             /s/ Arch V. Wright, Jr.
Robert J. Leppink, Director                       Arch V. Wright, Jr., Director

/s/ Keith E. Bazaire                              /s/ James Twarozynski
Keith E. Bazaire, Director                        James Twarozynski, Principal
                                                  Accounting Officer

/s/ William R. Kohls                              /s/ Jeffrey A. Bratsburg
William R. Kohls, Executive Vice President,       Jeffrey A. Bratsburg, Director
Secretary, Treasurer, and Chief Financial
Officer                                           /s/ Robert L. Hetzler
                                                  Robert L. Hetzler, Director

                                      S-2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

The Board of Directors
Independent Bank Corporation

We consent to the use of our report  incorporated herein by reference and to the
reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus.

                                         /s/ KPMG LLP

Detroit, Michigan
October 2, 2000

                                      S-3
EXHIBIT INDEX

     The following exhibits are filed as a part of the Registration Statement:

Item 4            Independent Bank Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan,
                  As Amended

Item 5            Opinion of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett

Item 23(a)        Consent of KPMG LLP - included on page S-3 hereof

Item 23(b)        Consent of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett-included in
                  Exhibit 5

Item 24           Power of Attorney - included on page S-2 hereof

                                      S-4
October 4, 2000

Independent Bank Corporation
230 West Main Street
P.O. Box 491
Ionia, Michigan   48846

     Re:     Registration Statement on Form S-8 Relating to the Independent Bank
             Corporation Employee Stock Option Plan

Gentlemen:

     With respect to the Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (the  "Registration
Statement"),  filed by Independent Bank Corporation, a Michigan corporation (the
"Company"),  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  for the purpose of
registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  516,000 shares of the
Company's common stock, par value $1.00 per share, for issuance  pursuant to the
Company's  Employee  Stock  Option  Plan (the  "Plan"),  we have  examined  such
documents  and  questions of law we consider  necessary or  appropriate  for the
purpose of giving this opinion.  On the basis of such evaluation,  we advise you
that in our opinion the 516,000  shares  covered by the  Registration  Statement
upon the exercise of stock option,  as the prices  described in the Registration
Statement,  but not less than the par value  thereof,  and upon delivery of such
shares and payment  therefor in accordance with the terms stated in the Plan and
the  Registration  Statement,  will be duly and legally  authorized,  issued and
outstanding and will be fully paid and nonassessable.

     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Registration  Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we
are within the category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of
the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended,  or under the rules and  regulations of
the Securities and Exchange Commission relating thereto.

                                   Sincerely,

                     VARNUM, RIDDERING, SCHMIDT & HOWLETTLLP

                            /s/ Michael G. Wooldridge

                         Michael G. Wooldridge, Partner

                                    EXHIBIT 5

::ODMA\PCDOCS\GRR\481029\2

                                      S-5