<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-25</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000835324</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>S Y BANCORP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SYI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001193421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TASMAN NORMAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-25</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>19.271</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>37.78</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6109.651</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Trust</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/><footnoteId id="F3"/><footnoteId id="F4"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">6,109.651 shares held in the deferrred comp plan</footnote><footnote id="F2">25,866.6668 shares held Directly</footnote><footnote id="F3">2,231 shares held Indirectly by wife</footnote><footnote id="F4">Derivative Securities:  2,400 Nonqualified Stock Options @ 8.375 held Directly</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>//Norman Tasman</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-25</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

