Subordinated Debentures (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2012
Subordinated debt maturing 2018
Subordinated debentures
Subordinated debenture of Bancorp	$ 10,000,000
S.Y. Bancorp Capital Trust II
Subordinated debentures
Ownership interest in subsidiary (as a percent)	100.00%
Amount of trust preferred securities issued	30,000,000
Fixed rate of interest on trust preferred securities (as a percent)	10.00%
Amount received from purchase of common equity securities	900,000
Investment in subordinated debenture		30,900,000
Unamortized issuance costs of trust preferred securities		1,353,000
S.Y. Bancorp Capital Trust II | Subordinated debt maturing 2038
Subordinated debentures
Subordinated debenture of Bancorp	$ 30,900,000
Fixed rate of interest on subordinated debenture	10.00%
Redemption price of trust preferred securities (as a percent)	100.00%