<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-04-046732
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041001
<FILING-DATE>20041005
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041005
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>NOONAN PATRICK F
<CIK>0001026057
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>KY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12254
<FILM-NUMBER>041066746
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>CONSERVATION FUND
<STREET2>1800 NORTH KENT STREET SUITE 1120
<CITY>ARLINGTON
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22209
<PHONE>6063293333
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1800 NORTH KENT STREET
<STREET2>SUITE 1120
<CITY>ARLINGTON
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22209
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SAUL CENTERS INC
<CIK>0000907254
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>521833074
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8401 CONNECTICUT AVE
<CITY>CHEVY CHASE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>20815
<PHONE>3019866207
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8401 CONNECTICUT AVE
<CITY>CHEVY CHASE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>20815
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd54392.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000907254</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SAUL CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BFS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001026057</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NOONAN PATRICK F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>7501 WISCONSIN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>15TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BETHESDA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20814</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>826.037</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5500.000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6016.000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Wife</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-04-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-04-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>207.894</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>33.28</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>207.894</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19695.095</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Balance increased by July 30, 2004 Dividend Reinvestment Plan award of 10.924 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1 for 1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Under the terms of the reporting person's Deferred Fee Agreement, payment of shares of the issuer's common stock commences at such time as the reporting person ceases to be a director of the issuer.  Payment will be a lump sum upon termination of directorship.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 257.715 shares ($29.1000/share) awarded July 30, 2004 as dividend reinvestments on shares of phantom stock held by the reporting person pursuant to the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan under its 2004 Stock Plan and shares of phantom stock issued under the issuer's Deferred Compensation and Stock Plan for Directors.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan under its 2004 Stock Plan and the Deferred Fee Agreement executed by the reporting person, the reporting person has elected to defer receipt of his director's fees, and receive phantom stock, the amount of which is calculated as the quotient of the dollar value of fees deferred, divided by the fair market value of the issuer's shares on the date the phantom stock is received.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patrick F. Noonan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-10-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
