Note 24 - Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (Parent Company Only) - Condensed Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income before income taxes	$ 14,625	$ 14,350	$ 13,785	$ 13,511	$ 13,823	$ 13,636	$ 13,153	$ 13,508	$ 12,029	$ 14,604	$ 11,661	$ 11,809	$ 56,271	$ 54,120	$ 50,103
Income tax expense	$ 4,009	$ 3,883	$ 3,676	$ 3,676	$ 4,177	$ 4,352	$ 4,151	$ 4,253	$ 3,307	$ 4,715	$ 3,627	$ 3,632	15,244	16,933	15,281
Net income													41,027	37,187	34,822
Parent Company [Member]
Income - dividends and interest from subsidiaries													16,147	14,244	3,300
Other income													1	15	183
Expenses													2,235	2,511	2,472
Income before income taxes													13,913	11,748	1,011
Income tax expense													(987)	(1,016)	(1,018)
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiary													14,900	12,764	2,029
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiary													26,127	24,423	32,793
Net income													$ 41,027	$ 37,187	$ 34,822