AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JULY 30, 2003

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ________________________

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ________________________

                                NBT BANCORP INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Delaware                                       16-1268674
   (State or other jurisdiction of                   IRS employer identification
    incorporation or organization)                             number)


                              52 South Broad Street
                             Norwich, New York 13815
                                 (607) 337-2265
                              (Address of principal
                               executive offices)
                            ________________________

                     NBT Bancorp Inc. Performance Share Plan
                            (Full title of the Plan)
                            ________________________

                                Daryl R. Forsythe
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                                NBT Bancorp Inc.
                              52 South Broad Street
                             Norwich, New York 13815
                                 (607) 337-2265
            (Name, address and telephone number of Agent for Service)

                                    Copy to:
                              Stuart G. Stein, Esq.
                                Amit Saluja, Esq.
                             Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
                          555 Thirteenth  Street, N.W.
                          Washington, D.C.  20004-1109
                                 (202) 637-8575
                            ________________________



                                       CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
========================================================================================================
                                    AMOUNT       PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM      AMOUNT OF
TITLE OF SECURITIES                  TO BE        OFFERING PRICE     AGGREGATE OFFERING    REGISTRATION
TO BE REGISTERED                 REGISTERED(2)    PER SHARE (1)         PRICE (1)(2)        FEE (1)(2)
-------------------------------  -------------  ------------------  --------------------  --------------
                                                                              
Common Stock                           300,000  $            19.99  $          5,997,000  $       485.16
-------------------------------  -------------  ------------------  --------------------  --------------

================================================================================
(1)  Estimated  solely  for  the  purpose  of  calculating  the registration fee
pursuant  to  Rule  457(h)  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  as  amended.
(2)  The Registrant is registering 300,000 shares of its common stock, par value
$0.01  per  share,  reserved  for  issuance  pursuant  to  the  NBT Bancorp Inc.
Performance  Share  Plan.
================================================================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The  documents  containing the information specified in Part I will be sent
or  given  to  employees as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").  In accordance with the instructions to
Part  I  of  Form  S-8, such documents will not be filed with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission ("SEC") either as part of this Registration Statement or as
prospectuses  or  prospectus  supplements pursuant to Rule 424 of the Securities
Act.  These  documents  and  the documents incorporated by reference pursuant to
Item 3 of Part II of this registration statement, taken together, constitute the
prospectus  as  required  by  Section  10(a)  of  the  Securities  Act.


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.   INCORPORATION  OF  DOCUMENTS  BY  REFERENCE.

          NBT  Bancorp  Inc.  ("NBT") hereby incorporates by reference into this
registration  statement  the  following  documents  filed  by  it  with the SEC:

          (a)  NBT's  annual  report  on  Form  10-K  for  the fiscal year ended
               December  31,  2002  (File  No.  000-14703) filed with the SEC on
               March  28,  2003.

          (b)  NBT's  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March
               31, 2003 (File No. 000-14703) filed with the SEC on May 14, 2003.

          (c)  The  description  of  NBT common stock, par value $0.01 per share
               ("Common Stock"), contained under the heading "Description of NBT
               Capital  Stock" in NBT's registration statement on Form S-4 (File
               No.  333-66472) filed with the SEC on August 1, 2001, as amended.

          (d)  NBT's current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 30,
               2003  and July 29, 2003 (File Nos. 000-14703).

          In  addition, all documents and reports filed by NBT subsequent to the
date  hereof  pursuant  to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a
post-effective  amendment  that  indicates that all securities offered have been
sold  or that deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated  by  reference in this registration statement and to be part hereof
from the date of filing of such documents or reports. Any statement contained in
a  document  incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall
be  deemed  to  be  modified  or  superseded  for  purposes of this registration
statement  to  the  extent  that  a  statement  contained herein or in any other
subsequently  filed  document,  which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference  herein,  modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to  constitute  a  part  of  this  registration  statement.

ITEM 4.   DESCRIPTION  OF  SECURITIES.

          Not  applicable.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS  OF  NAMED  EXPERTS  AND  COUNSEL.

          Not  applicable.


                                        1

ITEM 6.   INDEMNIFICATION  OF  DIRECTORS  AND  OFFICERS.

          Reference  is  made  to the provisions of Delaware General Corporation
Law  ("DGCL"),  Article 6 of the Bylaws of NBT and Article 12 of the Certificate
of  Incorporation  of  NBT.

          NBT  is  a  Delaware  corporation  subject  to  the  applicable
indemnification  provisions  of  the  DGCL.  Section  145  of  the DGCL provides
for  the  indemnification,  under certain  circumstances,  of persons who are or
were  directors,  officers, employees or agents of a corporation, or are or were
serving  at  the  request  of  a  corporation  in  such a capacity  with another
business  organization or entity,  against expenses (including attorneys' fees),
judgments,   fines  and  amounts  paid  in  settlement  in  actions,   suits  or
proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative,  brought
or threatened against or involving such persons because of such person's service
in any such  capacity.  In the case of  actions  brought by or in the right of a
corporation,  Section 145 provides for  indemnification  of expenses  (including
attorneys' fees) if the person seeking  indemnification  acted in good faith and
in a manner that such person reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the corporation;  provided,  however,  that no indemnification
shall be made in respect of any claim,  issue or matter as to which such  person
shall been adjudged liable to the corporation  unless,  upon a determination  by
the Court of  Chancery  or the court in which such  action or suit was  brought,
despite the  adjudication of liability but in view of all the  circumstances  of
the case,  such person is reasonably  and fairly  entitled to indemnity for such
expenses.

          NBT's bylaws contain provisions providing that NBT shall indemnify any
person  who  was  or  is a party or threatened to be made a party to any action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by
reason  of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of NBT, or is
or  was  serving  at  the  request  of NBT as a director of another corporation,
partnership,  joint  venture,  trust, or other enterprise, to the maximum extent
authorized  by  DGCL.

          NBT's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  provides that a director of NBT
shall  not  be personally liable to NBT or its stockholders for monetary damages
for  breach  of  fiduciary  duty as a director, except for liability (1) for any
breach  of  the  director's  duty of loyalty to NBT or its stockholders; (2) for
acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a
knowing  violation  of  law;  (3)  under Section 174 of the DGCL; or (4) for any
transaction  from  which  the  director  derived  an  improper personal benefit.

ITEM 7.   EXEMPTION  FROM  REGISTRATION  CLAIMED.

          Not  applicable.


                                        2

ITEM 8.   EXHIBITS.



Exhibit
  No.                                 Exhibit
  ---                                 -------
      

    4.1  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of NBT (filed  as  Exhibit 3.1 to
         Registrant's  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, filed
         on March  29,  2002 and incorporated herein by reference).

    4.2  By-laws of NBT (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Registrant's Form 10-K for
         the year ended December 31, 2001, filed on March 29, 2002 and
         incorporated herein by reference).

    4.3  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of November 15, 1994, between NBT
         and  American  Stock  Transfer Trust Company as Rights  Agent
         (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Registrant's Form 8-A (File No.  000-14703),
         filed  on  November  25,  1994,  and incorporated  by  reference
         herein).

    4.4  Amendment  No. 1 to Rights Agreement, dated as of December 16,
         1999,  between  NBT and American Stock Transfer Trust  Company
         as  Rights  Agent  (filed  as  Exhibit  4.2 to Registrant's  Form  8-
         A/A,  (File  No.  000-14703),  filed  on December  21,  1999,  and
         incorporated  by reference herein).

    4.5  Amendment  No.  2  to  Rights Agreement, dated as of April 19,
         2000,  between  NBT  and American Stock Transfer Trust
         Company  as  Rights  Agent  (filed  as  Exhibit  4.3 to Registrant's
         Form  8-A/A, (File No. 000-14703), filed on May 25, 2000,  and
         incorporated  by  reference  herein).

    5    Opinion of Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

   23.1  Consent of KPMG LLP.

   23.2  Consent of Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.  (contained in Exhibit 5).

   99.1  NBT Performance Share Plan (incorporated by reference to
         Appendix B of NBT's Definitive Proxy Statement on Form 14A filed
         with the SEC on April 4, 2003).




ITEM 9.   UNDERTAKINGS.

(a)     The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes:

          (1)  To  file,  during  any  period in which offers or sales are being
               made,  a post effective amendment to this registration statement:

                    (i)  To  include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
               of  the  Securities  Act;


                                        3

                    (ii)  To  reflect  in  the  prospectus  any  facts or events
               arising  after  the  effective date of the registration statement
               (or  the  most  recent  post-effective  amendment thereof) which,
               individually  or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
               in  the  information set forth in the registration statement; and

                    (iii)  To  include  any material information with respect to
               the  plan  of  distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in  the
               registration statement or any material change to such information
               in  the  registration  statement.

          provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
          apply  if  the information required to be included in a post-effective
          amendment  by  those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed
          with  or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13
          or  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act  that  are  incorporated by
          reference  in  the  registration  statement.

          (2)  That,  for  the  purpose  of  determining any liability under the
               Securities  Act,  each  such  post-effective  amendment  shall be
               deemed  to  be  a  new  registration  statement  relating  to the
               securities  offered  therein, and the offering of such securities
               at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
               thereof.

          (3)  To  remove  from  registration  by  means  of  a  post-effective
               amendment  any  of  the  securities being registered which remain
               unsold  at  the  termination  of  the  offering.

(b)     The  undersigned  Registrant  hereby  undertakes  that,  for purposes of
determining  any  liability  under  the  Securities  Act,  each  filing  of  the
Registrant's  annual  report  pursuant  to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange  Act  (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report  pursuant  to  Section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated  by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a
new  registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering  of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide  offering  thereof.

(c)     Insofar as indemnification for liability arising  under  the Securities
Act  may  be  permitted  to  directors,  officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant  pursuant  to  the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has  been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against
public  policy  as  expressed  in  the  Securities  Act  and  is,  therefore,
unenforceable.  In  the  event  that  a  claim  for indemnification against such
liabilities  (other  than  the payment by the Registrant or expenses incurred or
paid  by  a director, officer or controlling person in successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person  in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
unless  in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether
such  indemnification  by  it  is  against  public  policy  as  expressed in the
Securities  Act  and  will  be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                        4

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies  that  it  has  reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8  and  has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the  undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized,  in  the  city  of  Norwich,  state  of  New  York on July 30, 2003.

                                     NBT BANCORP INC.


                                     By:  /s/ Daryl R. Forsythe
                                          ---------------------
                                          Daryl R. Forsythe
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer

     Each  person  whose  signature  appears below appoints Daryl R. Forsythe or
Michael J. Chewens, jointly and severally, each in his own capacity, as true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact, with full power of substitution in such person's name,
place  and  stead,  in  any  and  all  capacities to sign any amendments to this
Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-8,  and to file the same, with all exhibits
thereto,  and  other  documents  in  connection  therewith, with the SEC, hereby
ratifying  and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, or their substitute or
substitutes,  may  lawfully  do  or  cause  to  be  done  by  virtue  hereof.

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
registration  statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities  indicated  on  the  28th  day  of  July,  2003.

        SIGNATURE                              TITLE
        ---------                              -----

                              President, Chief Executive Officer and
/S/ Daryl R. Forsythe              Director (Principal Executive
----------------------------                   Officer)
Daryl R. Forsythe

                                  Executive Vice President, Chief
/S/ Michael J. Chewens            Financial Officer and Secretary
----------------------------       (Principal Financial Officer)
Michael J. Chewens


/S/ Richard Chojnowski                        Director
----------------------------
Richard Chojnowski


/S/ Patricia T. Civil                         Director
----------------------------
Patricia T. Civil


/S/ Gene E. Goldenziel                        Director
----------------------------
Gene E. Goldenziel


/S/ Dr. Peter B. Gregory                      Director
----------------------------
Dr. Peter B. Gregory


/S/ William C. Gumble                         Director
----------------------------
William C. Gumble


                                        5

/S/ Paul D. Horger                            Director
----------------------------
Paul D. Horger


/S/ Michael H. Hutcherson                     Director
----------------------------
Michael H. Hutcherson


/S/ Janet H. Ingraham                         Director
----------------------------
Janet H. Ingraham


/S/ Andrew S. Kowalczyk, Jr.                  Director
----------------------------
Andrew S. Kowalczyk, Jr.


/S/ John C. Mitchell                          Director
----------------------------
John C. Mitchell


/S/ Michael M. Murphy                         Director
----------------------------
Michael M. Murphy


/S/ Joseph G. Nasser                          Director
----------------------------
Joseph G. Nasser


/S/ William L. Owens                          Director
----------------------------
William L. Owens


/S/ Van Ness D. Robinson                      Director
----------------------------
Van Ness D. Robinson


/S/ Joseph A. Santangelo                      Director
----------------------------
Joseph A. Santangelo


/S/ Paul O. Stillman                          Director
----------------------------
Paul O. Stillman


                                        6



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                     Exhibit

Exhibit
  No.                                 Exhibit
  ---                                 -------
      

    4.1  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of NBT (filed  as  Exhibit 3.1 to
         Registrant's  Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001, filed
         on March  29,  2002 and incorporated herein by reference).

    4.2  By-laws of NBT (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Registrant's Form 10-K for
         the year ended December 31, 2001, filed on March 29, 2002 and
         incorporated herein by reference).

    4.3  Rights  Agreement,  dated as of November 15, 1994, between NBT
         and  American  Stock  Transfer Trust Company as Rights  Agent
         (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Registrant's Form 8-A (File No.  000-14703),
         filed  on  November  25,  1994,  and incorporated  by  reference
         herein).

    4.4  Amendment  No. 1 to Rights Agreement, dated as of December 16,
         1999,  between  NBT and American Stock Transfer Trust  Company
         as  Rights  Agent  (filed  as  Exhibit  4.2 to Registrant's  Form  8-
         A/A,  (File  No.  000-14703),  filed  on December  21,  1999,  and
         incorporated  by reference herein).

    4.5  Amendment  No.  2  to  Rights Agreement, dated as of April 19,
         2000,  between  NBT  and American Stock Transfer Trust
         Company  as  Rights  Agent  (filed  as  Exhibit  4.3 to Registrant's
         Form  8-A/A, (File No. 000-14703), filed on May 25, 2000,  and
         incorporated  by  reference  herein).

    5    Opinion of Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

   23.1  Consent of KPMG LLP.

   23.2  Consent of Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.  (contained in Exhibit 5).

   99.1  NBT Performance Share Plan (incorporated by reference to
         Appendix B of NBT's Definitive Proxy Statement on Form 14A filed
         with the SEC on April 4, 2003).