8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) August 4, 2009

NBT Bancorp Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-14703	16-1268674
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

52 South Broad Street, Norwich, New York	13815
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:   (607) 337-2265

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On August 4, 2009, NBT Bancorp Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus contained in its effective shelf registration statement (File No. 333-158197) relating to the shares of common stock which may be offered pursuant to its dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan. This Current Report is being filed to present certain exhibits which shall be incorporated by reference into the registration statement.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)  Not Applicable.

(b)  Not Applicable.

(c)  Not Applicable.

(d)  Exhibits.

Exhibit No. Description

5.1 Opinion of Hogan & Hartson LLP regarding legality of securities being offered.

23.1 Consent of Hogan & Hartson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

- 2 -

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

		NBT BANCORP INC.
Date: August 4, 2009	By:	/s/ Michael J. Chewens
		Name: Michael J. Chewens
		Title: Senior Executive Vice President  and Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No. Description

5.1 Opinion of Hogan & Hartson LLP regarding legality of securities being offered.

23.1 Consent of Hogan & Hartson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

- 3 -

EX-5.1

August 4, 2009

Board of Directors

NBT Bancorp Inc.

52 South Broad Street

Norwich, New York 13815

Re: Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to NBT Bancorp Inc., a Delaware corporation  (the “Company”), in connection with the public offering of up to 3,000,000 shares (the “Shares”) of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), which Shares may be sold by the Company from time to time pursuant to its Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (the “DRIP”), as described in the prospectus supplement dated August 4, 2009 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) and the prospectus dated March 24, 2009 (the “Base Prospectus” and, together with the Prospectus Supplement, the “Prospectus”) that form part of the Company’s effective registration statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-158197) (the “Registration Statement”).  This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. §229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including telecopies).  As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on.  This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended.  We express no opinion herein as to any other laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, or regulations.  As used herein, the term “Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended” includes the statutory provisions contained therein, all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws.

NBT Bancorp Inc.

August 4, 2009

Page 2

Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, upon issuance of the Shares in exchange for the consideration therefore set forth in the DRIP, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

This opinion letter has been prepared for your use in connection with the filing by the Company of a Current Report on Form 8-K. We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the filing of the Prospectus Supplement.  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the above-described Form 8-K and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Hogan & Hartson LLP

Hogan & Hartson LLP