Regulatory Capital Requirements (Schedule of Total Risk-Based, Tier 1 Risk-Based, and Tier 1 Leverage Ratios) (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2011
Stifel Financial Corp. [Member]
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Amount	$ 835,120
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	263,652
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	329,564
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Amount	831,290
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	131,826
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	197,739
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, Actual Amount	831,290
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	157,597
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	196,997
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Ratio	25.30%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	8.00%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	10.00%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Ratio	25.20%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	4.00%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	6.00%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, Actual Ratio	21.10%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	4.00%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	5.00%
Stifel Bank [Member]
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Amount	151,114
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	119,081
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	148,851
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Amount	147,284
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	59,541
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	89,311
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, Actual Amount	147,284
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Amount	82,274
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Amount	$ 102,842
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Ratio	10.20%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	8.00%
Total capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	10.00%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, Actual Ratio	9.90%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	4.00%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	6.00%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, Actual Ratio	7.20%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, For Capital Adequacy Purposes Ratio	4.00%
Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets, To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provisions Ratio	5.00%