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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc.
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jul. 01, 2012
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc.
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading SUMMARY

T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The fund seeks to provide, consistent with modest price fluctuation, a high level of income exempt from federal income taxes by investing primarily in short- and intermediate-term investment-grade municipal securities.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Fees and Expenses of the Fund

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)

Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23.3% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 23.30%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Investments, Risks, and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock The fund invests primarily in short-term municipal securities (maturities of less than three years) and intermediate-term municipal securities (maturities between three and ten years). The fund’s weighted average maturity normally ranges from two to five years and is not expected to exceed five years. Most investments are in investment-grade securities, which are securities rated in one of the four highest credit categories (AAA, AA, A, or BBB, or an equivalent rating) as determined by at least one major credit rating agency or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by T. Rowe Price. The fund may invest up to 5% of total assets in noninvestment-grade securities, known as “junk” bonds in the taxable bond market, including those with the lowest credit ratings.

Investment decisions for the fund reflect the portfolio manager’s outlook for interest rates and the economy, as well as the prices, yields, and credit quality of various securities. This approach is designed to help the portfolio manager capture appreciation opportunities when rates are falling and reduce the impact of falling bond prices when rates are rising. For example, if interest rates are expected to fall, the fund may purchase longer-term securities in an attempt to seek higher yields and/or capital appreciation. Conversely, if interest rates are expected to rise, the fund may seek securities with shorter maturities. And if our economic outlook is positive or if valuations for lower-quality bonds are attractive, the portfolio manager may take advantage of the fund’s “basket” for noninvestment-grade bonds.

Normally, at least 80% of the fund’s income will be exempt from federal income taxes. However, up to 20% of the fund’s income could be derived from securities subject to the alternative minimum tax.

From time to time, the fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in sectors with special risks, such as health care, electric utility, or private activity bonds. The fund may sell holdings for a variety of reasons, such as to adjust the portfolio’s average maturity, duration, or credit quality, or to shift assets into and out of higher-yielding securities.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its objective. The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund. The principal risks of investing in this fund are summarized as follows:

Active management risk The fund is subject to the risk that the investment adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value, or potential appreciation of the fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the securities selected and strategies employed by the fund fail to produce the intended results, the fund could underperform other funds with similar objectives and investment strategies.

Credit risk This is the risk that an issuer of a debt security could suffer an adverse change in financial condition that results in a payment default, security downgrade, or inability to meet a financial obligation. Economic downturns often result in reduced levels of taxes collected and revenues earned for municipalities. This, in turn, lessens the financial strength of a municipality and increases the credit risk of the securities it issues. The fund’s exposure to credit risk is increased to the extent the fund invests in noninvestment-grade “junk” bonds. Junk bonds should be considered speculative as they carry greater risk of default and erratic price swings due to adverse changes in the credit quality of the issuer.

Interest rate risk This is the risk that a rise in interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Generally, the longer the maturity of a security or weighted average maturity of a fund, the greater the interest rate risk.

Municipal securities risk The fund will be highly impacted by events tied to the overall municipal securities markets, which can be very volatile and significantly affected by unfavorable legislative or political developments and adverse changes in the financial conditions of municipal securities issuers and the economy. Income from municipal securities held by the fund could be declared taxable because of changes in tax laws or interpretations by taxing authorities, or noncompliant conduct of a municipal security issuer. In addition, a portion of the fund’s otherwise tax-exempt dividends may be taxable to those shareholders subject to the alternative minimum tax. Any fund investments in obligations of Puerto Rico or U.S. territories involve additional credit and tax risks.

Certain sectors of the municipal bond market have special risks that can impact such sectors more significantly than the market as a whole. For example, health care can be hurt by rising expenses and dependency on third party reimbursements, transportation can be impacted by declining revenues or unexpectedly high construction costs, utilities are subject to governmental rate regulation, and private activity bonds rely on project revenues and the creditworthiness of the corporate user as opposed to governmental support.

Liquidity risk This is the risk that the fund may not be able to sell a holding in a timely manner at a desired price. The secondary market for certain municipal bonds tends to be less developed and liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect the fund’s ability to sell such municipal bonds at attractive prices.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The fund’s share price fluctuates, which means you could lose money by investing in the fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index. The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.

The fund can also experience short-term performance swings, as shown by the best and worst calendar quarter returns during the years depicted.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart showing calendar year returns and the average annual total returns table indicate risk by illustrating how much returns can differ from one year to the next and how fund performance compares with that of a comparable market index.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 1-800-225-5132
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress troweprice.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of future performance.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund
Calendar Year Returns
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
                                   Quarter
           Ended
            Total
            Return
Best Quarter            9/30/09            2.94%
Worst Quarter            6/30/04            -1.34%


The fund’s return for the three months ended 3/31/12 was 0.64%.
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods ended
December 31, 2011

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock In addition, the average annual total returns table shows hypothetical after-tax returns to suggest how taxes paid by a shareholder may influence returns. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as a 401(k) account or individual retirement account.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock Updated performance information is available through troweprice.com or may be obtained by calling 1-800-225-5132.
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc. | T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc.
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Redemption fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Maximum account fee rr_MaximumAccountFee 20 [1]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.40%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.10%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.50%
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 51
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 160
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 280
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 628
2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 6.16%
2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 2.78%
2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 1.60%
2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 0.97%
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 3.26%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.85%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 3.00%
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 7.23%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 2.09%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 4.59%
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel The fund’s return for the three months ended
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Mar. 31, 2012
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 0.64%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 2.94%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2004
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (1.34%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.59%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.14%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.54%
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions | T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc.
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.59%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.14%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.53%
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc. | Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc.
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.76%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.96%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.46%
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc. | Barclays 1-5 Year Blend (1-6 Year Maturity) Index
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.18%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.50%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.87%
T. Rowe Price Tax-Free Short-Intermediate Fund, Inc. | Lipper Short-Intermediate Municipal Debt Funds Average
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.89%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.77%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.81%
[1] Subject to certain exceptions, accounts with a balance of less than $10,000 are charged an annual $20 fee.