Parent Company Financial Information - Schedule of Parent Company Statements of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ 5,818	$ 8,615	$ 12,172
Income before income tax provision	18,812	7,059	7,816
Income tax benefit	(6,159)	(1,718)	(2,724)
Net income	12,653	5,341	5,092
Pacific Continental Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash dividends from the Bank	6,755	15	16
Total income	6,755	15	16
Interest expense	151	136	510
Investor relations	124	112	67
Legal, registration expense, and other	128	55	141
Personnel costs paid to Bank	151	140	132
Total expenses	554	443	850
Income before income tax provision	6,201	(428)	(834)
Income tax benefit	193	162	317
Equity in undistributed earnings of the Bank	6,259	5,607	5,609
Net income	$ 12,653	$ 5,341	$ 5,092