REGULATIONS AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Total Capital (to risk-weighted assets)
Actual, amount	$ 988,740,000	$ 985,961,000
Actual, ratio (in hundredths)	13.70%	13.00%
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, amount	576,965,000	608,096,000
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, ratio (in hundredths)	8.00%	8.00%
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, amount	721,206,000	760,120,000
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, ratio (in hundredths)	10.00%	10.00%
Tier I Capital (to Risk-Weighted Assets)
Actual, amount	897,955,000	890,442,000
Actual, ratio (in hundredths)	12.50%	11.70%
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, amount	288,482,000	304,048,000
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, ratio (in hundredths)	4.00%	4.00%
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, amount	433,724,000	456,072,000
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, ratio (in hundredths)	6.00%	6.00%
Tier 1 Capital (to adjusted assets) ratio, excluding assets held to meet point-in-time regulatory balance sheet composition requirements (in hundredths)	11.30%	12.10%
Total Capital (to risk-weighted assets) ratio, excluding assets held to meet point-in-time regulatory balance sheet composition requirements (in hundredths)	13.70%	14.20%
Tier I Capital (to Adjusted Assets)
Actual, amount	897,955,000	890,442,000
Actual, ratio (in hundredths)	11.30%	8.20%
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, amount	317,229,000	434,193,000
Requirement for capital adequacy purposes, ratio (in hundredths)	4.00%	4.00%
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, amount	396,537,000	542,741,000
To be well capitalized under prompt corrective action provisions, ratio (in hundredths)	5.00%	5.00%
Dividends declared and paid to parent	100,000,000
Capital contribution from parent	25,000,000
Raymond James and Associates Inc [Member]
Alternative Method elected [Abstract]
Net capital as a percent of aggregate debit items	23.92%	17.37%
Net capital	381,464,000	253,341,000
Less: required net capital	(31,896,000)	(29,169,000)
Excess net capital	349,568,000	224,172,000
Raymond James Financial Services Inc [Member]
Alternative Method elected [Abstract]
Net capital	14,137,000	14,540,000
Less: required net capital	(250,000)	(250,000)
Excess net capital	13,887,000	14,290,000
Raymond James Ltd [Member]
Risk adjusted capital of Canadian broker-dealer subsidiary [Abstract]
Risk adjusted capital before minimum	66,637,000	52,022,000
Less: required minimum capital	(250,000)	(250,000)
Risk adjusted capital	$ 66,387,000	$ 51,772,000