Ameris Bancorp — Director's Dealing 2017

May 4, 2017

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: Ameris Bancorp (ABCB)
CIK: 0000351569
Period of Report: 2017-05-01

Reporting Person: EDWARDS JON S (EVP & Chief Credit Officer)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2017-05-01	Common Stock	M	7894	$22.23	Acquired	58650.5593	Direct
2017-05-01	Common Stock	M	5139	$14.76	Acquired	63789.5593	Direct

Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Exercise Price	Code	Shares	A/D	Expiration	Underlying	Ownership
2017-05-01	ABCB Incentive Stock Option	$22.23	M	7894	Acquired	2017-06-13	Common (7894)	Direct
2017-05-01	ABCB Incentive Stock Option	$14.76	M	5139	Acquired	2018-02-19	Common (5139)	Direct

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	12	Indirect

Footnotes

F1: This total includes 19.75157 shares acquired by the reporting person as a participant in an employee stock purchase dividend reinvestment plan.

F2: On June 13, 2007, the reporting person was granted an option to purchase 8,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $22.23. The option vests in five equal installments based on the achievement of certain annual perfomance benchmarks. The performance criteria for 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 were met at 100% and the performance criteria for 2009 was met at 80% of target, resulting in vesting of the option in the amount of 7,894 shares, which number was adjusted to reflect the stock dividends that were issued October, 10, 2009, January 10, 2010, April 10, 2010 and July 10, 2010.

F3: On February 19, 2008, the reporting person was granted an option to purchase 5,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $14.76. The option cliff vests over a three year period beginning on award anniversary date at 100%, resulting in vesting of the option in the amount of 5,139 shares, which number was adjusted to reflect the stock dividends that were issued October, 10, 2009, January 10, 2010, April 10, 2010 and July 10, 2010.