Exhibit 23
 
                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
 
  As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation of
our report included in this Form 8-K into BB&T Corporation's previously filed
Registration Statement File Nos. 33-52367, 33-57865, 33-57867, 333-03989 and
333-50035 filed on Form S-8 and Registration Statement File Nos. 33-57859, 33-
57861, 33-57871 and 333-02899 filed on Form S-3.
 
                                          Arthur Andersen LLP
 
Charlotte, North Carolina,
March 19, 1999.