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                        FIRST NORTHERN COMMUNITY BANCORP
              OUTSIDE DIRECTORS 2000 NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                         Annual Vesting Over Four Years

     First Northern Community Bancorp, a California corporation (the "Company"),
hereby grants an Option to purchase Shares of its common stock to the Optionee
named below. The terms and conditions of the Option are set forth in this cover
sheet, in the attachment and in the Company's Outside Directors 2000
Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan (the "Plan").

Date of Option Grant:  ____________________

Name of Optionee:
                  ----------------------------------------------

Optionee's Social Security Number:  _____-____-_____

Number of Shares of Common Stock Covered by Option:  __________________________

Price per Share:  $____________________________________________________________

Vesting Start Date: ____________________________

     By signing this cover sheet, you agree to all of the terms and conditions
     described in the attached Agreement and in the Plan, a copy of which is
     also enclosed.

Optionee:
          --------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  (Signature)

Company:
         ----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  (Signature)
          Title:
                 --------------------------------------------------------------

Attachment
- ----------


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                        FIRST NORTHERN COMMUNITY BANCORP
              OUTSIDE DIRECTORS 2000 NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION PLAN
                       NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                         Annual Vesting Over Four Years


Nonstatutory Stock  This Option is not intended to be an incentive stock
Option              option under Section 422 of the Code and will be
                    interpreted accordingly.

Vesting and         This Option may be exercised to the extent that Shares have
Exercise            been vested. Beginning on the Vesting Start Date, you will
                    be twenty percent (20%) vested in the Shares granted under
                    this Option. Thereafter, the Shares under this Option will
                    vest annually at a rate of 20 percent (20%) per year. All
                    of the Shares shall be fully vested on the fourth
                    anniversary of the Vesting Start Date as shown on the cover
                    sheet. No additional Shares will vest after your Service
                    has terminated for any reason. "Service" means your service
                    as an outside director of the Company or an affiliated
                    entity.

                    "Shares" means the shares of Common Stock covered by this
                    Option as adjusted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

                    Notwithstanding the vesting schedule set forth above, in
                    the event of a Change in Control during the period you
                    remain in Service, all of the Shares which are unvested as
                    of the effective date of such Change in Control shall
                    immediately become vested. For the purposes hereof, "Change
                    in Control" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                    2(c) of the Plan.

Term                This Option will expire in any event at the close of
                    business at Company headquarters on the fifth anniversary
                    of the Date of Grant, as shown on the cover sheet. (It will
                    expire earlier if your Service terminates, as described
                    below.)

Regular             If your Service terminates for any reason except death or
Termination         Total and Permanent Disability, then this Option will
                    expire at the close of business at Company headquarters on
                    the 90th day after your termination date. During that
                    90-day period, you may exercise the vested portion of this
                    Option.

Other Terminations  If your Service terminates following your conviction
of Service          of a felony, or a finding by a court that you engaged in a
                    fraudulent or dishonest act or a gross abuse of authority
                    regarding the Company then this Option will expire upon
                    your termination of Service.

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Death               In the event of your death while in Service, then this
                    Option will expire at the close of business at Company
                    headquarters on the date which is one year after the date
                    of death. During that one-year period, your estate or heirs
                    may exercise the vested portion of this Option as of the
                    termination of Service.

Total and           If your Service terminates because of your Total
Permanent           and Permanent Disability, then this Option will expire at
Disability          the close of business at Company headquarters on the date
                    which is one year after your termination date. During that
                    one-year period, you may exercise the vested portion of
                    this Option as of the termination of Service.

                    "Total and Permanent Disability" means that you are unable
                    to serve on the Board of Directors due to a disability
                    which shall be determined in accordance with the Company's
                    Long Term Disability Plan.

Restrictions on     The Company will not permit you to exercise this Option
Exercise            if the issuance of Shares at that time would violate any
                    law or regulation.

Notice of Exercise  When you wish to exercise this Option, you must notify the
                    Company by filing the proper "Notice of Exercise" form
                    attached hereto. Your notice must specify how many Shares
                    you wish to purchase. Your notice must also specify how
                    your Shares should be registered (in your name only or in
                    your and your spouse's names as community property or as
                    joint tenants with right of survivorship). The notice will
                    be effective when it is received by the Company.

                    If someone else wants to exercise this Option after your
                    death, that person must prove to the Company's satisfaction
                    that he or she is entitled to do so.

Periods of
Nonexercisability   Any other provision of this Agreement notwithstanding, the
                    Company shall have the right to designate one or more
                    periods of time, each of which shall not exceed 180 days in
                    length, during which this Option shall not be exercisable
                    if the Company determines (in its sole discretion) that
                    such limitation on exercise could in any way facilitate any
                    offering and/or issuance of securities by the Company,
                    facilitate the registration or qualification of any
                    securities by the Company under the applicable laws, or
                    facilitate the perfection of any exemption from the
                    registration or qualification requirements of any applicable
                    securities laws for the issuance or transfer of any
                    securities. Such limitation on exercise shall not alter the
                    vesting schedule set forth in this Agreement other than to
                    limit the periods during which this Option shall be

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                    exercisable.

Form of Payment     When you submit your notice of exercise, you must include
                    payment of the Option price for the Shares you are
                    purchasing. Payment may be made in one (or a combination)
                    of the following forms:

                    o Your personal check, a cashier's check or a money order.

Withholding Taxes   You will not be allowed to exercise this Option unless you
                    make acceptable arrangements to pay any withholding or
                    other taxes that may be due as a result of the Option
                    exercise.

Restrictions on     By signing this Agreement, you agree not to sell any
Resale              Shares at a time when applicable laws, regulations or
                    Company or underwriter trading policies prohibit a sale. In
                    connection with any underwritten public offering by the
                    Company of its equity securities, you agree not to sell,
                    make any short sale of, loan, hypothecate, pledge, grant
                    any Option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose or
                    transfer for value or agree to engage in any of the
                    foregoing transactions with respect to any Shares without
                    the prior written consent of the Company or its
                    underwriters, for such period of time after the effective
                    date of such registration statement as may be requested by
                    the Company or such underwriters.

                    In order to enforce the provisions of this paragraph, the
                    Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect
                    to the Shares until the end of the applicable stand-off
                    period.

Transfer of Option  Prior to your death, only you may exercise this Option. You
                    cannot transfer or assign this Option. For instance, you
                    may not sell this Option or use it as security for a loan.
                    If you attempt to do any of these things, this Option will
                    immediately become invalid. You may, however, dispose
                    of this Option in your will.

                    Regardless of any marital property settlement agreement,
                    the Company is not obligated to honor a notice of exercise
                    from your spouse or former spouse, nor is the Company
                    obligated to recognize such individual's interest in this
                    Option in any other way.

Shareholder Rights  You, or your estate or heirs, have no rights as a
                    shareholder of the Company until a certificate for the
                    Shares has been issued. No adjustments are made for
                    dividends or other rights if the applicable record date
                    occurs before your share certificate is issued, except as
                    described in the Plan.

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Adjustments         In the event of a stock split, a stock dividend or a
                    similar change in the Company's Common Stock, the number of
                    Shares covered by this Option and the exercise price per
                    share may be adjusted pursuant to the Plan. This Option
                    shall be subject to the terms of the agreement of merger,
                    liquidation or reorganization in the event the Company is
                    subject to such corporate activity.

Applicable Law      This Agreement will be interpreted and enforced under the
                    laws of the State of California.

The Plan and        The text of the Plan is incorporated in this
Other Agreements    Agreement by reference. Certain capitalized terms used in
                    this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein are defined
                    in the Plan.

                    This Agreement and the Plan constitute the entire
                    understanding between you and the Company regarding this
                    Option. Any prior agreements, commitments or negotiations
                    concerning this Option are superseded.

     By signing the cover sheet of this Agreement, you agree to all of the
     terms and conditions described above and in the Plan.

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                                      -86-



                       NOTICE OF EXERCISE OF STOCK OPTION


First Northern Community Bancorp
195 N. First Street
Dixon, CA 95620
Attn:  Corporate Secretary


     Re: Exercise of Stock Option to Purchase Shares of Company Common Stock
         -------------------------------------------------------------------


Dear Sir or Madam:

     Pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement dated ____________________, ____
(the "Stock Option Agreement"), between First Northern Community Bancorp, a
California corporation (the "Company"), and the undersigned, I hereby elect to
purchase _____________ shares of the common stock of the Company (the "Shares"),
at the price of $__________ per Share. My check in the amount of $______________
is enclosed. The Shares are to be issued in _____ certificate(s) and registered
in the name(s) of:

                           --------------------------

    The undersigned understands there may be tax consequences as a result of
the  purchase  or  disposition  of the  Shares.  To the extent that an amount is
required  to be  withheld  for any  taxes  that may be due as a  result  of this
exercise,  I will comply with the  Company's  requirements  with  respect to the
payment of such  withholding.  The undersigned  represents that he has consulted
with any tax  consultants he deems  advisable in connection with the purchase or
disposition of the Shares and the  Undersigned is not relying on the Company for
any tax advice.

     The undersigned acknowledges that he has received, read and understood
the Stock Option  Agreement and agrees to abide by and be bound by its terms and
conditions.
Dated:  ________________, 20___


                                    ---------------------------------------
                                                   (Signature)


                                    ---------------------------------------
                                                 (Please Print Name)


                                     Social Security No.
                                                         -------------------


                                    ---------------------------------------

                                    ---------------------------------------
                                                 (Full Address)


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