Note 24 - Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. (Parent Company Only) - Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 16,649	$ 17,234	$ 16,543	$ 15,641	$ 14,658	$ 13,876	$ 13,579	$ 13,404	$ 4,946	$ 11,704	$ 10,602	$ 10,791	$ 66,067	$ 55,517	$ 38,043
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on the disposal of premises and equipment													372	56	0
Stock compensation expense													3,578	4,027	2,892
Excess tax benefits from stock- based compensation arrangements													(812)	(549)	(1,463)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion, net													4,880	5,782	13,640
Proceeds from liquidation of private investment fund													0	(113)	(92)
Net cash provided by operating activities													58,436	65,889	53,676
Investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets													2,907	230	0
Cash for acquisition, net of cash acquired													(24,686)	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities													(163,173)	(11,570)	(114,705)
Financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock													(11,817)	(2,004)	(2,389)
Share repurchases related to compensation plans													(272)	(154)	(216)
Cash dividends paid													(23,542)	(21,766)	(18,077)
Net cash used in financing activities													155,522	5,372	152,304
Net increase (decrease) in cash													50,785	59,691	91,275
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				198,939				139,248				47,973	198,939	139,248	47,973
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	249,724				198,939				139,248				249,724	198,939	139,248
Parent Company [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income													66,067	55,517	38,043
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries													5,802	(37,207)	(21,071)
Loss on the disposal of premises and equipment													0	(10)	0
Stock compensation expense													3,578	4,027	2,892
Excess tax benefits from stock- based compensation arrangements													(812)	(549)	(1,463)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion, net													0	0	4
Proceeds from liquidation of private investment fund													0	0	(81)
Change in other assets													(3,863)	(1,080)	5,943
Change in other liabilities													(81)	220	10
Net cash provided by operating activities													70,691	20,918	24,277
Investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets													0	13	0
Cash for acquisition, net of cash acquired													(28,000)	0	0
Proceeds from liquidation of private investment fund													0	0	81
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities													(28,000)	13	81
Financing activities:
Repurchase of common stock													(11,817)	(2,004)	(2,389)
Share repurchases related to compensation plans													(272)	(154)	(216)
Cash dividends paid													(23,543)	(21,766)	(18,077)
Net cash used in financing activities													(35,632)	(23,924)	(20,682)
Net increase (decrease) in cash													7,059	(2,993)	3,676
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				$ 7,655				$ 10,648				$ 6,972	7,655	10,648	6,972
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 14,714				$ 7,655				$ 10,648				$ 14,714	$ 7,655	$ 10,648