<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001005477-03-003788
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030728
<FILING-DATE>20030916
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BROWN RANDOLPH C
<CIK>0001211183
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26481
<FILM-NUMBER>03897112
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY ST
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC
<CIK>0000862831
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>160816610
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
<PHONE>7167861100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar123.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-07-28</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000862831</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FISI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>

        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001211183</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BROWN RANDOLPH C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>220 LIBERTY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WARSAW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14569</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
        <isDirector>0</isDirector>
        <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
        <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
        <isOther>0</isOther>
        <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>

        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-01-08</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionDate>
    <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>I</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
    </transactionCoding>
        <transactionAmounts>

            <transactionShares>
                <value>263</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionShares>

            <transactionPricePerShare>
                <value>22.85</value>
            </transactionPricePerShare>

            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>

            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1091</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>

            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>I</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>

            <natureOfOwnership>
                <value>Held under 401-K Plan</value>
            </natureOfOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>
    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>

        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>

        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>24.68</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>

        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-28</value>
        </transactionDate>
    <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
    </transactionCoding>
        <transactionAmounts>

            <transactionShares>
                <value>3000</value>
            </transactionShares>

            <transactionPricePerShare>
                <value>24.68</value>
            </transactionPricePerShare>

            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>

        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2004-06-30</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>

        <expirationDate>
            <value>2013-07-28</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>

            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>

            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>3000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>

            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>3000</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>

            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>
    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Acquired in FII 401-K Plan.  263 shares acquired in 401-K Plan on 1/8/03, 1/14/03, 1/27/03, 2/11/03, 2/24/03, 2/28/03, 3/10/03, 3/24/03, 4/7/03, 4/9/03, 4/22/03, 5/5/03, 5/19/03, 6/3/03, 6/16/03, 6/30/03, 7/3/03, 7/15/03, 7/29/03, 8/11/03 and 8/25/03.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Options vest 100% on 6/30/2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Sonia Dumbleton for Randolph C. Brown</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-09-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

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