Exhibit 31.1

                     Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications

I, Michael J. Cushman, certify that:

1.       I have  reviewed  this  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q of North  Valley
         Bancorp;

2.       Based  on my  knowledge,  this  report  does  not  contain  any  untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances  under which
         such  statements  were made, not misleading  with respect to the period
         covered by this report;

3.       Based on my knowledge,  the financial  statements,  and other financial
         information  included in this  report,  fairly  present in all material
         respects the financial condition,  results of operations and cash flows
         of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.       The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer and I are responsible for
         establishing  and  maintaining  disclosure  controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules  13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e))  and internal
         control  over  financial  reporting  (as defined in Exchange  Act Rules
         13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f))for the registrant and have:

         (a) Designed such disclosure  controls and  procedures,  or caused such
         disclosure   controls  and   procedures   to  be  designed   under  our
         supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating  to the
         registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to
         us by others within those entities,  particularly  during the period in
         which this report is being prepared;

         (b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting,  or caused
         such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our
         supervision,  to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability
         of financial reporting and the preparation of financial  statements for
         external  purposes in accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting
         principles;

         (c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
         and procedures and presented in this report our  conclusions  about the
         effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures,  as of the end
         of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

         (d)  Disclosed in this report any change in the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant's
         most recent fiscal quarter (the  registrant's  fourth fiscal quarter in
         the case of an  annual  report)  that has  materially  affected,  or is
         reasonably  likely to  materially  affect,  the  registrant's  internal
         control over financial reporting; and

5.       The registrant's other certifying  officer and I have disclosed,  based
         on our most  recent  evaluation  of  internal  control  over  financial
         reporting,  to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the
         registrant's board of directors :

         (a) All significant  deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
         or operation of internal  control over  financial  reporting  which are
         reasonably  likely to  adversely  affect  the  registrant's  ability to
         record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

         (b) Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that  involves  management or
         other  employees  who  have a  significant  role  in  the  registrant's
         internal control over financial reporting.


Date: May 8, 2007                         /s/ Michael J. Cushman
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael J. Cushman,
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer
                                          (Principal Executive Officer)