CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION (PARENT COMPANY ONLY), Condensed Statement of Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Revenues:
Interest	$ 392,318	$ 370,892	$ 443,584
Other, net	35,170	28,686	27,601
Total revenues	3,399,886	2,979,516	2,602,519
Expenses:
Compensation and benefits	2,270,735	1,993,561	1,673,114
Communications and information processing	137,605	121,957	121,646
Occupancy and equipment costs	108,600	104,945	104,185
Business development	94,875	80,213	78,627
Interest	65,830	62,851	56,953
Other	127,889	117,609	105,355
Income before income tax benefits and equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries	450,745	356,144	236,401
Income tax benefits	182,894	133,625	96,024
Net income attributable to RJF	278,353	228,283	152,750
RJF Parent Company [Member]
Revenues:
Dividends from bank subsidiary	100,000	0	0
Dividends from nonbank subsidiaries	164,121	199,644	154,898
Interest from subsidiaries	1,068	1,558	2,527
Interest	240	93	617
Other, net	7,762	3,178	(1,656)
Total revenues	273,191	204,473	156,386
Expenses:
Compensation and benefits	28,214	26,225	24,829
Communications and information processing	3,821	3,723	5,194
Occupancy and equipment costs	1,112	1,768	1,652
Business development	11,684	7,409	6,448
Interest	31,309	26,020	3,876
Other	5,894	5,017	3,798
Intercompany allocations and charges	(28,757)	(23,170)	(21,440)
Total expenses	53,277	46,992	24,357
Income before income tax benefits and equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries	219,914	157,481	132,029
Income tax benefits	(11,037)	(25,947)	(16,736)
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries	230,951	183,428	148,765
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries	47,402	44,855	3,985
Net income attributable to RJF	$ 278,353	$ 228,283	$ 152,750