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

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
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                       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. Non-employee Directors' Restricted and Deferred Stock 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
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                        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               200,000  $            19.99  $          3,998,000  $       323.44
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(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 200,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per
share,  reserved  for  issuance  pursuant  to  the  NBT Bancorp Inc. Non-employee Directors'
Restricted  and  Deferred  Stock  Plan.
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                                     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 ("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 Non-employee Director's Restricted and Deferred Stock Plan
         (incorporated by reference to Appendix A 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
  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 Non-employee Director's Restricted and Deferred Stock Plan
         (incorporated by reference to Appendix A of NBT's Definitive Proxy
         Statement on Form 14A filed with the SEC on April 4, 2003).