<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-01-03</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2012-01-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000887936</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FTI CONSULTING INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FCN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001229699</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHAUGHNESSY DENNIS J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>777 SOUTH FLAGLER DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WEST PALM BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33401</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-01-03</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1987.0</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>43.04</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>190529.0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The date originally recorded in Box 3 and Table 1, Column 2, was the vesting date of the applicable equity award.  This Amendment is being filed to correct the earliest transaction date reported in Box 3 and Table 1, Column 2, to conform that reported date to the date that the applicable withholding taxes and number of shares to be withheld were determinable by the Company.  Because the applicable vesting date fell on a weekend or Holiday, the date used to determine the reporting person's tax obligations was the next date that shares of FTI Consulting, Inc. common stock traded on the open market as opposed to the vesting date of the applicable restricted shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Eric B. Miller, Attorney-in-Fact For: Dennis J. Shaughnessy</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-01-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
