Salary Deferral Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Salary Deferral Plan [Abstract]
Salary Deferral Plans	Note 13. Salary Deferral Plans Pinnacle Financial has a 401(k) retirement plan (the 401k Plan) covering all employees who elect to participate, subject to certain eligibility requirements. The Plan allows employees to defer up to 50% of their salary subject to regulatory limitations with Pinnacle Financial matching 100% of the first 4% of employee self-directed contributions during 2012, 2011, and 2010. Pinnacle Financial's expense associated with the matching component of the plan(s) for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012 was approximately $2,185,000, $1,887,000 and $1,931,000, respectively, and is included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations in salaries and employee benefits expense. Prior to the merger with Pinnacle Financial on March 15, 2006, Cavalry had adopted nonqualified noncontributory supplemental retirement agreements (the Cavalry SRAs) for certain directors and executive officers of Cavalry. Cavalry invested in and, as a result of the Cavalry merger, Pinnacle Financial is the owner of single premium life insurance policies on the life of each participant and is the beneficiary of the policy value. When a participant retires, the accumulated gains on the policy allocated to such participant, if any, will be distributed to the participant in equal installments for 15 years (the Primary Benefit). In addition, any annual gains after the retirement date of the participant will be distributed on an annual basis for the lifetime of the participant (the Secondary Benefit). As a result of the merger with Pinnacle Financial, all participants became fully vested in the Cavalry SRAs. No new participants have been added to the Cavalry SRAs following the merger with Pinnacle Financial. The Cavalry SRAs also provide the participants with death benefits, which is a percentage of the net death proceeds for the policy, if any, applicable to the participant. The death benefits are not taxable to Pinnacle Financial or the participant's beneficiary. Pinnacle Financial recognized approximately $201,000, $330,000, and $63,000 in compensation expense in each year of the three-year period ended December 31, 2012 related to the Cavalry SRAs. During 2007, Pinnacle Financial offered a settlement to all participants in the Cavalry SRAs with eleven participants accepting the settlement. Two individuals remain as participants in the Cavalry SRAs. At December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, included in other liabilities is $1,301,000, $1,200,000, and $994,000, respectively, which represents the net present value of the future obligation owed the two remaining participants in the Cavalry SRAs using a discount rate of 5% at December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Note 13. Salary Deferral Plans

Pinnacle Financial has a 401(k) retirement plan (the 401k Plan) covering all employees who elect to participate, subject to certain eligibility requirements. The Plan allows employees to defer up to 50% of their salary subject to regulatory limitations with Pinnacle Financial matching 100% of the first 4% of employee self-directed contributions during 2012, 2011, and 2010. Pinnacle Financial's expense associated with the matching component of the plan(s) for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2012 was approximately $2,185,000, $1,887,000 and $1,931,000, respectively, and is included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations in salaries and employee benefits expense.

Prior to the merger with Pinnacle Financial on March 15, 2006, Cavalry had adopted nonqualified noncontributory supplemental retirement agreements (the Cavalry SRAs) for certain directors and executive officers of Cavalry. Cavalry invested in and, as a result of the Cavalry merger, Pinnacle Financial is the owner of single premium life insurance policies on the life of each participant and is the beneficiary of the policy value. When a participant retires, the accumulated gains on the policy allocated to such participant, if any, will be distributed to the participant in equal installments for 15 years (the Primary Benefit). In addition, any annual gains after the retirement date of the participant will be distributed on an annual basis for the lifetime of the participant (the Secondary Benefit). As a result of the merger with Pinnacle Financial, all participants became fully vested in the Cavalry SRAs. No new participants have been added to the Cavalry SRAs following the merger with Pinnacle Financial.

The Cavalry SRAs also provide the participants with death benefits, which is a percentage of the net death proceeds for the policy, if any, applicable to the participant. The death benefits are not taxable to Pinnacle Financial or the participant's beneficiary.

Pinnacle Financial recognized approximately $201,000, $330,000, and $63,000 in compensation expense in each year of the three-year period ended December 31, 2012 related to the Cavalry SRAs. During 2007, Pinnacle Financial offered a settlement to all participants in the Cavalry SRAs with eleven participants accepting the settlement. Two individuals remain as participants in the Cavalry SRAs. At December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, included in other liabilities is $1,301,000, $1,200,000, and $994,000, respectively, which represents the net present value of the future obligation owed the two remaining participants in the Cavalry SRAs using a discount rate of 5% at December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.