Allowance for Credit Losses and Credit Quality of Loans, Troubled Debt Restructuring (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) Contract	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) Contract
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	8	20
Pre-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 735	$ 1,235
Post-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 779	$ 1,252
Number of contracts \| Contract	17	20
Recorded Investment	$ 1,190	$ 1,015
Commercial Loans [Member]
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	1
Recorded Investment	$ 387
Commercial Loans [Member] \| Commercial & Industrial [Member]
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	1
Recorded Investment	$ 387
Consumer Loans [Member]
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	1
Pre-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 44
Post-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 44
Consumer Loans [Member] \| Auto [Member]
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	1
Pre-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 44
Post-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 44
Residential [Member]
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of contracts \| Contract	7
Pre-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 691
Post-modification outstanding recorded investment	$ 735
Number of contracts \| Contract	16
Recorded Investment	$ 803

No definition available.

Name:	nbtb_FinancingReceivableModificationsTroubledDebtRestructuredLoansAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	nbtb_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 33
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953676-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after troubled debt restructuring, of modified financing receivable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before troubled debt restructuring, of financing receivable to be modified.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPreModificationRecordedInvestment2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of financing receivable contracts modified as troubled debt restructuring within previous 12 months, with subsequent payment default.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 34
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953682-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of financing receivable modified as troubled debt restructuring within previous 12 months, with subsequent payment default.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 34
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953682-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=nbtb_CommercialAndIndustrialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=nbtb_AutoFinancingReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: