VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Sep. 30, 2009
Assets:
Assets segregated pursuant to regulations and other segregated assets	$ 3,548,683	[1]	$ 3,430,715	[1],[2]
Investments in real estate partnerships held by consolidated variable interest entities	320,384		280,890
Prepaid expenses and other assets	364,264		451,357
Total assets	18,006,995		17,883,081
Liabilities and equity:
Loans payable of consolidated variable interest entities	99,982		76,464
Trade and other payables	309,723		290,268
Total liabilities	15,095,150		15,286,213
RJF Equity	2,587,619		2,302,816
Noncontrolling interests	324,226		294,052
Total equity	2,911,845		2,596,868		2,233,139
Total liabilities and equity	18,006,995		17,883,081
Revenues:
Interest	392,318		370,892		443,584
Other	35,170		28,686		27,601
Total revenues	3,399,886		2,979,516		2,602,519
Interest expense	65,830		62,851		56,953
Net revenues	3,334,056		2,916,665		2,545,566
Non-interest expenses	2,883,311		2,560,521		2,309,165
Net income including noncontrolling interests	267,851		222,519		140,377
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(10,502)		(5,764)		(12,373)
Net loss attributable to RJF	278,353		228,283		152,750
Low-income housing tax credit funds [Abstract]
Number of low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) funds	74
Number of non-guaranteed tax credit funds	73
Number of guaranteed tax credit funds	1
LIHTC Funds - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, consolidated, aggregate assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	257,631	[3]	234,742	[3]
Aggregate liabilities	121,908	[3]	94,028	[3]
Guaranteed LIHTC Fund - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, consolidated, aggregate assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	87,811	[3]	75,449	[3]
Aggregate liabilities	10,424	[3]	2,382	[3]
Restricted Stock Trust Fund - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, consolidated, aggregate assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	8,099	[3]	7,969	[3]
Aggregate liabilities	4,630	[3]	4,429	[3]
EIF Funds - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, consolidated, aggregate assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	16,223	[3]	18,215	[3]
Aggregate liabilities	0	[3]	0	[3]
Total VIEs - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, consolidated, aggregate assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	369,764	[3]	336,375	[3]
Aggregate liabilities	136,962	[3]	100,839	[3]
Assets:
Assets segregated pursuant to regulations and other segregated assets	18,317		14,188
Receivables, other	11,288		6,104
Investments in real estate partnerships held by consolidated variable interest entities	320,384		280,890
Trust fund investment in RJF common stock	8,099	[4]	7,798	[4]
Prepaid expenses and other assets	17,197		19,398
Total assets	375,285		328,378
Liabilities and equity:
Loans payable of consolidated variable interest entities	99,982	[5]	76,464	[5]
Trade and other payables	5,353		2,722
Intercompany payables	6,904		16,930
Total liabilities	112,239		96,116
RJF Equity	5,537		5,205
Noncontrolling interests	257,509		227,057
Total equity	263,046		232,262
Total liabilities and equity	375,285		328,378
Revenues:
Interest	2		13		71
Other	5,385		5,793		2,621
Total revenues	5,387		5,806		2,692
Interest expense	6,049		4,457		4,817
Net revenues	(662)		1,349		(2,125)
Non-interest expenses	18,670		15,445		18,060
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(19,332)		(14,096)		(20,185)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(17,988)		(13,392)		(17,934)
Net loss attributable to RJF	(1,344)		(704)		(2,251)
Non-Guaranteed LIHTC Fund - Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Low-income housing tax credit funds [Abstract]
Number of non-guaranteed tax credit funds	11
LIHTC Funds - Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, nonconsolidated, carrying amount of assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	1,582,764		1,303,500
Aggregate liabilities	533,311		302,749
Our risk of loss	37,733		10,691
Other Real Estate Limited Partnerships and LLCs - Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, nonconsolidated, carrying amount of assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	39,344		51,166
Aggregate liabilities	35,467		38,699
Our risk of loss	8,068		20,246
Total VIEs - Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable interest entity, nonconsolidated, carrying amount of assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	1,622,108		1,354,666
Aggregate liabilities	568,778		341,448
Our risk of loss	45,801		30,937
Managed Funds [Member]
Variable interest entity, nonconsolidated, carrying amount of assets and liabilities [Abstract]
Aggregate assets	12,813
Aggregate liabilities	0
Our risk of loss	$ 834

[1] Consists primarily of cash or qualified securities maintained in accordance with Rule 15c3-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. RJ&A, as a broker-dealer carrying client accounts, is subject to requirements related to maintaining cash or qualified securities in a segregated reserve account for the exclusive benefit of its clients. Additionally, RJ Ltd. is required to hold client Registered Retirement Savings Plan funds in trust.

[2] Other segregated assets at September 30, 2010 include $1.3 billion held as collateral by the FHLB securing an overnight advance which was related to the point-in-time regulatory balance sheet composition requirements mentioned in item (1) above. On October 1, 2010, the advance was repaid.

[3] Aggregate assets and aggregate liabilities differ from the consolidated carrying value of assets and liabilities due to the elimination of intercompany assets and liabilities held by the consolidated VIE.

[4] Included in treasury stock in our Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

[5] Comprised of several non-recourse loans. We are not contingently liable under any of these loans (see Note 13 for additional information).