<PAGE>



     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 1998
                                               Registration No. 333-__________
==============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                        --------------------------------
                                    Form S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        --------------------------------
                           RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                        --------------------------------
               Delaware                                      52-1217953
    (State or other Jurisdiction of                        (IRS Employer
    incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)
             1503 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005
          (Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

                           RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION
                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the Plan)

                             JOSEPH M. CAHILL, ESQ.
                       Executive Director of Legal Affairs
                           Riggs National Corporation
                              800 17th Street, N.W.
                             Washington, D.C. 20006
            (Name, address, including zip code, of agent for service)

                                  202-835-6709
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         Calculation of Registration Fee

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title of 
securities                   Proposed maximum    Proposed maximum   Amount of
to be         Amount to be  aggregate offering  aggregate offering registration
registered     registered     price per share         price           fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,  2,000,000 shs.    $29.125 (1)      $58,250,000 (1)    $17,184
$2.50 par
value per share
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)      Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee.
         Pursuant to Rule 457(c), the calculation of the registration fee is
         based on the average of the high and low sales prices of the
         Registrant's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on April 13,
         1998.



<PAGE>



                                     PART II


ITEM 3.       INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE


         The following documents, which are on file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, are incorporated herein by reference and made a part
hereof: (i) Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1997 and (ii) the description of Registrant's common stock, par value $2.50
per share (the "Common Stock"), contained in Registrant's Registration Statement
on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 33-50775) relating to 4,000,000 shares of Registrant's
10.75% Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B and 2,924,000 shares of
Registrant's Common Stock, as amended by Amendment No. 3 filed on December 16,
1993.


         All reports and other documents filed by Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
de-registers all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such
reports and documents.


ITEM 4.       DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES


         Not applicable, as Registrant's Common Stock is registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act.


ITEM 5.       INTERESTS OF EXPERTS AND COUNSEL


         The validity of the shares of Common Stock registered hereunder will be
passed upon for the Corporation by Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
Affairs of the Registrant, who is an employee of the Registrant. As of the date
of this filing, Joseph M. Cahill held stock options of four thousand (4,000)
shares of Common Stock.


ITEM 6.       INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS


         Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
Article Eleventh of the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and Section
14.1 of the Registrant's Bylaws provide for indemnification of the Registrant's
directors and officers in a variety of circumstances which may include
liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act of
1933").


         The general effect of the provisions in the Registrant's Certificate of
Incorporation and Delaware General Corporation Law is to provide that the
Registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with the defense or
settlement of any judicial or administrative proceedings in which they become
involved by reason of their status as directors or officers of the Registrant,
if they acted in good faith and in a manner he or

                                       2
<PAGE>


she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. With respect to
legal proceedings by or in the right of the Registrant in which a director or
officer is adjudged liable for improper performance of his or her duty to the
Registrant or another enterprise which he or she served in a similar capacity at
the request of the Registrant, indemnification is limited by such provisions to
that amount which is permitted by the court. In addition, the Registrant has
purchased insurance as permitted by Delaware law on behalf of directors,
officers, employees or agents, which may cover liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933.

         In addition, Article Eleventh of the Registrant's Certificate of
Incorporation provides that no director of the Registrant will be personally
liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director. This provision does not eliminate or limit the
liability of a director for: (i) breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) acts or omissions not in good faith or
that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) willful
or negligent conduct in paying illegal dividends or improperly purchasing or
redeeming the Registrant's own stock; or (iv) any transaction in which the
director obtains an improper personal benefit.


ITEM 7.       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED


         None.


ITEM 8.       EXHIBITS


       Exhibit
       Number                        Description of Exhibit
       -------                       ----------------------


         4(a)     Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended
                  (incorporated by reference to Registrant's Form 10-Q for the
                  quarter ended September 30, 1989, SEC File No. 0-9756).


         4(b)     Registrant's Bylaws, as amended (incorporated by reference to
                  Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 1993, SEC File No. 0-9756).


         5        Opinion of Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
                  Affairs of the Registrant (filed herewith).


         23(a)    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Accountants
                  (filed herewith).


         23(b)    Consent of Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
                  Affairs of the Registrant (filed as part of Exhibit 5 hereto).


                                       3

<PAGE>



ITEM 9.       UNDERTAKINGS


       (a)   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;


                   (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information 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 the time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA
FIDE offering thereof.


             (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) Registrant undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of Registrant's annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that
is incorporated by reference in the 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 or persons
controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant
has been informed 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 its 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 Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
<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 Washington, District of Columbia, on this 15th day of
April, 1998.


                                      RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION (Registrant)


                                      By: /s/ JOE L. ALLBRITTON
                                          -----------------------------------
                                            Joe L. Allbritton
                                            Chairman of the Board and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer





         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.




      Signature                  Title                         Date
      ---------                  -----                         ----

/s/ JOE L. ALLBRITTON        Chairman of the Board          April 15, 1998
------------------------     and Chief Executive
Joe L. Allbritton            Officer
                             (principal executive
                             officer)


/s/ TIMOTHY C. COUGHLIN      President and Director         April 15, 1998
------------------------
Timothy C. Coughlin


/s/ JOHN L. DAVIS            Chief Financial Officer
------------------------     (principal financial and       April 15, 1998
John L. Davis                  accounting officer)


/s/ ROBERT L. ALLBRITTON     Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Robert L. Allbritton


/s/ JOHN M. FAHEY, JR.       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
John M. Fahey, Jr.


                                       5
<PAGE>



      Signature                  Title                         Date
      ---------                  -----                         ----


/s/ LAWRENCE I. HEBERT       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Lawrence I. Hebert


/s/ STEVEN B. PFEIFFER       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Steven B. Pfeiffer


/s/ JOHN E.V. ROSE           Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
John E.V. Rose


/s/ ROBERT L. SLOAN          Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Robert L. Sloan


/s/ JACK VALENTI             Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Jack Valenti


/s/ EDDIE N. WILLIAMS        Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Eddie N. Williams







                                       6
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 14298}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RIGGS NATIONAL CORP", "cik": "0000350847", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "521217953", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-50181", "film-number": "98594686"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1503 PENNSYLVANIA AVE N W", "city": "WASHINGTON", "state": "DC", "zip": "20005", "phone": "3018876000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1503 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW", "city": "WASHINGTON", "state": "DC", "zip": "20005"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 15, 1998
                                               Registration No. 333-__________
==============================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                        --------------------------------
                                    Form S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                        --------------------------------
                           RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                        --------------------------------
               Delaware                                      52-1217953
    (State or other Jurisdiction of                        (IRS Employer
    incorporation or organization)                     Identification No.)
             1503 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005
          (Address, including zip code, of Principal Executive Offices)

                           RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION
                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the Plan)

                             JOSEPH M. CAHILL, ESQ.
                       Executive Director of Legal Affairs
                           Riggs National Corporation
                              800 17th Street, N.W.
                             Washington, D.C. 20006
            (Name, address, including zip code, of agent for service)

                                  202-835-6709
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         Calculation of Registration Fee

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title of 
securities                   Proposed maximum    Proposed maximum   Amount of
to be         Amount to be  aggregate offering  aggregate offering registration
registered     registered     price per share         price           fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,  2,000,000 shs.    $29.125 (1)      $58,250,000 (1)    $17,184
$2.50 par
value per share
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)      Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the registration fee.
         Pursuant to Rule 457(c), the calculation of the registration fee is
         based on the average of the high and low sales prices of the
         Registrant's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market on April 13,
         1998.
PART II

ITEM 3.       INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents, which are on file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, are incorporated herein by reference and made a part
hereof: (i) Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1997 and (ii) the description of Registrant's common stock, par value $2.50
per share (the "Common Stock"), contained in Registrant's Registration Statement
on Form S-3 (SEC File No. 33-50775) relating to 4,000,000 shares of Registrant's
10.75% Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B and 2,924,000 shares of
Registrant's Common Stock, as amended by Amendment No. 3 filed on December 16,
1993.

         All reports and other documents filed by Registrant pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
de-registers all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated
by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such
reports and documents.

ITEM 4.       DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable, as Registrant's Common Stock is registered under
Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

ITEM 5.       INTERESTS OF EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         The validity of the shares of Common Stock registered hereunder will be
passed upon for the Corporation by Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
Affairs of the Registrant, who is an employee of the Registrant. As of the date
of this filing, Joseph M. Cahill held stock options of four thousand (4,000)
shares of Common Stock.

ITEM 6.       INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
Article Eleventh of the Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation and Section
14.1 of the Registrant's Bylaws provide for indemnification of the Registrant's
directors and officers in a variety of circumstances which may include
liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act of
1933").

         The general effect of the provisions in the Registrant's Certificate of
Incorporation and Delaware General Corporation Law is to provide that the
Registrant shall indemnify its directors and officers against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with the defense or
settlement of any judicial or administrative proceedings in which they become
involved by reason of their status as directors or officers of the Registrant,
if they acted in good faith and in a manner he or

                                       2
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. With respect to
legal proceedings by or in the right of the Registrant in which a director or
officer is adjudged liable for improper performance of his or her duty to the
Registrant or another enterprise which he or she served in a similar capacity at
the request of the Registrant, indemnification is limited by such provisions to
that amount which is permitted by the court. In addition, the Registrant has
purchased insurance as permitted by Delaware law on behalf of directors,
officers, employees or agents, which may cover liabilities under the Securities
Act of 1933.

         In addition, Article Eleventh of the Registrant's Certificate of
Incorporation provides that no director of the Registrant will be personally
liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director. This provision does not eliminate or limit the
liability of a director for: (i) breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Corporation or its stockholders; (ii) acts or omissions not in good faith or
that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) willful
or negligent conduct in paying illegal dividends or improperly purchasing or
redeeming the Registrant's own stock; or (iv) any transaction in which the
director obtains an improper personal benefit.

ITEM 7.       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         None.

ITEM 8.       EXHIBITS

       Exhibit
       Number                        Description of Exhibit
       -------                       ----------------------

         4(a)     Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation, as amended
                  (incorporated by reference to Registrant's Form 10-Q for the
                  quarter ended September 30, 1989, SEC File No. 0-9756).

         4(b)     Registrant's Bylaws, as amended (incorporated by reference to
                  Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 1993, SEC File No. 0-9756).

         5        Opinion of Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
                  Affairs of the Registrant (filed herewith).

         23(a)    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Accountants
                  (filed herewith).

         23(b)    Consent of Joseph M. Cahill, Executive Director of Legal
                  Affairs of the Registrant (filed as part of Exhibit 5 hereto).

                                       3
ITEM 9.       UNDERTAKINGS

       (a)   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;

                   (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change to such information 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 the time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA
FIDE offering thereof.

             (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) Registrant undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of Registrant's annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that
is incorporated by reference in the 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 or persons
controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant
has been informed 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 its 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 Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

                                       4
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 Washington, District of Columbia, on this 15th day of
April, 1998.

                                      RIGGS NATIONAL CORPORATION (Registrant)

                                      By: /s/ JOE L. ALLBRITTON
                                          -----------------------------------
                                            Joe L. Allbritton
                                            Chairman of the Board and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer

         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.

      Signature                  Title                         Date
      ---------                  -----                         ----

/s/ JOE L. ALLBRITTON        Chairman of the Board          April 15, 1998
------------------------     and Chief Executive
Joe L. Allbritton            Officer
                             (principal executive
                             officer)

/s/ TIMOTHY C. COUGHLIN      President and Director         April 15, 1998
------------------------
Timothy C. Coughlin

/s/ JOHN L. DAVIS            Chief Financial Officer
------------------------     (principal financial and       April 15, 1998
John L. Davis                  accounting officer)

/s/ ROBERT L. ALLBRITTON     Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Robert L. Allbritton

/s/ JOHN M. FAHEY, JR.       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
John M. Fahey, Jr.

                                       5
Signature                  Title                         Date
      ---------                  -----                         ----

/s/ LAWRENCE I. HEBERT       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Lawrence I. Hebert

/s/ STEVEN B. PFEIFFER       Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Steven B. Pfeiffer

/s/ JOHN E.V. ROSE           Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
John E.V. Rose

/s/ ROBERT L. SLOAN          Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Robert L. Sloan

/s/ JACK VALENTI             Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Jack Valenti

/s/ EDDIE N. WILLIAMS        Director                       April 15, 1998
------------------------
Eddie N. Williams

                                       6