diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net452/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net452/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index f167356ab8a..739fa9964cf 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net452/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net452/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OtlpExporter(OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions options) -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.BatchExportProcessorOptions<System.Diagnostics.Activity>
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.set -> void
@@ -13,4 +15,6 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.get ->
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.OtlpExporterOptions() -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.Export(in OpenTelemetry.Batch<System.Diagnostics.Activity> activityBatch) -> OpenTelemetry.ExportResult
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OnShutdown(int timeoutMilliseconds) -> bool
 static OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net46/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net46/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index f167356ab8a..739fa9964cf 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net46/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net46/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OtlpExporter(OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions options) -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.BatchExportProcessorOptions<System.Diagnostics.Activity>
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.set -> void
@@ -13,4 +15,6 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.get ->
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.OtlpExporterOptions() -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.Export(in OpenTelemetry.Batch<System.Diagnostics.Activity> activityBatch) -> OpenTelemetry.ExportResult
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OnShutdown(int timeoutMilliseconds) -> bool
 static OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index f167356ab8a..739fa9964cf 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OtlpExporter(OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions options) -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.BatchExportProcessorOptions<System.Diagnostics.Activity>
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.BatchExportProcessorOptions.set -> void
@@ -13,4 +15,6 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.get ->
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions.OtlpExporterOptions() -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.Export(in OpenTelemetry.Batch<System.Diagnostics.Activity> activityBatch) -> OpenTelemetry.ExportResult
+override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporter.OnShutdown(int timeoutMilliseconds) -> bool
 static OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpExporterHelperExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
index 9df64a655a7..ec369cc8ee8 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+* Changed `OltpExporter` class and constructor from internal to public.
+  ([#1612](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-dotnet/issues/1612))
+
 * In `OtlpExporterOptions.cs`: Exporter options now include a switch for
   Batch vs Simple exporter, and settings for batch exporting properties.
 
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporter.cs b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporter.cs
index 94550b773cc..e875bf64dca 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporter.cs
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporter.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol
     /// Exporter consuming <see cref="Activity"/> and exporting the data using
     /// the OpenTelemetry protocol (OTLP).
     /// </summary>
-    internal class OtlpExporter : BaseExporter<Activity>
+    public class OtlpExporter : BaseExporter<Activity>
     {
         private const string DefaultServiceName = "OpenTelemetry Exporter";
 
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ internal class OtlpExporter : BaseExporter<Activity>
         private readonly OtlpCollector.TraceService.ITraceServiceClient traceClient;
         private readonly Metadata headers;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="OtlpExporter"/> class.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="options">Configuration options for the exporter.</param>
+        public OtlpExporter(OtlpExporterOptions options)
+            : this(options, null)
+        {
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Initializes a new instance of the <see cref="OtlpExporter"/> class.
         /// </summary>