<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001179110-03-009356
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20031024
<FILING-DATE>20031028
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PIEKOS STANLEY D
<CIK>0001207466
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30637
<FILM-NUMBER>03960224
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>HALE & DORR
<STREET2>60 STATE STREET
<CITY>BOSTON
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02109
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AUGUST TECHNOLOGY CORP
<CIK>0001063527
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3827
<IRS-NUMBER>411729485
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MN
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4900 W 78TH ST
<CITY>BLOOMINGTON
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55435
<PHONE>9528200080
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>4900 WEST 78TH STREET
<CITY>BLOOMINGTON
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55435
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-10-24</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001063527</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AUGUST TECHNOLOGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AUGT</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207466</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PIEKOS STANLEY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4900 WEST 78TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BLOOMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55435</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>CFO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.36</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"></footnoteId>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate><value>2010-04-07</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares><value>0</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>114675</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeHolding>
<derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.36</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2"></footnoteId>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate><value>2010-04-07</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares><value>0</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5325</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeHolding>
<derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.50</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate><value>2003-10-24</value>
</transactionDate>
<transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"></footnoteId>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate><value>2010-10-24</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes><footnote id="F1">Original option (114,675 shares) exercisable in five annual increments of 22,935 shares beginning on April 7, 2004.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Original option (5,325 shares) exercisable in five annual increments of 1,065 shares beginning on April 7, 2004.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">Original option (10,000 shares) exercisable in five annual increments of 2,000 shares beginning on October 24, 2003.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Stanley D. Piekos</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-10-28</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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