Parent Company Only Financial Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Aug. 05, 2008
Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries:
Other assets	$ 98,819,455				$ 113,098,540								$ 98,819,455	$ 113,098,540
Total assets	5,040,548,616				4,863,950,704								5,040,548,616	4,863,950,704
Liabilities and stockholders' equity:
Subordinated debt and other borrowings	106,158,292				97,476,000								106,158,292	97,476,000			15,000,000
Other liabilities	48,252,519				42,097,132								48,252,519	42,097,132
Stockholders' equity	679,071,359				710,144,568				677,457,285				679,071,359	710,144,568	677,457,285	701,020,181
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	5,040,548,616				4,863,950,704								5,040,548,616	4,863,950,704
Expenses:
Interest expense - subordinated debentures													22,557,100	36,882,424	58,974,978
Income tax benefit													20,643,517	(15,237,687)	4,410,158
Net income (loss)	11,730,000	11,349,000	10,440,000	8,365,000	7,760,000	26,101,000	6,372,000	3,505,000	3,796,000	2,091,000	(26,364,000)	(3,822,000)	41,883,881	43,737,367	(24,300,492)
Accretion on preferred stock discount													0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders	11,730,000	11,349,000	7,785,000	7,206,000	5,681,000	24,537,000	4,844,000	2,011,000	2,248,000	549,000	(27,871,000)	(5,368,000)	38,069,841	37,072,728	(30,442,514)
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS [Abstract]
Net income (loss)	11,730,000	11,349,000	10,440,000	8,365,000	7,760,000	26,101,000	6,372,000	3,505,000	3,796,000	2,091,000	(26,364,000)	(3,822,000)	41,883,881	43,737,367	(24,300,492)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation expense													4,414,452	5,018,294	3,981,013
(Increase) decrease in other assets													36,400,237	42,346,579	27,366,049
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation													36,071	13,819	16,776
Deferred tax (expense) benefit													1,547,626	(23,395,052)	17,822,071
Net cash provided by operating activities													114,277,665	113,089,755	129,589,112
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries:
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities													(250,387,452)	(13,149,288)	104,437,531
Financing activities:
Exercise of common stock options													866,683	864,805	3,037,064
Preferred dividends paid													(2,127,604)	(4,891,839)	(4,750,000)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation arrangements													(36,071)	(13,819)	(16,776)
Repurchase of preferred shares outstanding													(71,250,000)	(23,750,000)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities													129,235,416	(116,363,608)	(212,042,536)
Net decrease in cash													(6,874,371)	(16,423,141)	21,984,107
Dividends paid to Pinnacle Financial															25,000,000
Parent Company [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	13,657,278				36,496,508				64,144,219				13,657,278	36,496,508	64,144,219
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	758,512,213				743,704,779								758,512,213	743,704,779
Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries:
PNFP Statutory Trust I	310,000				310,000								310,000	310,000
PNFP Statutory Trust II	619,000				619,000								619,000	619,000
PNFP Statutory Trust III	619,000				619,000								619,000	619,000
PNFP Statutory Trust IV	928,000				928,000								928,000	928,000
Other investments	3,214,358				3,400,183								3,214,358	3,400,183
Current income tax receivable	472,869				478,134								472,869	478,134
Other assets	6,954,411				6,439,735								6,954,411	6,439,735
Total assets	785,287,129				792,995,339								785,287,129	792,995,339
Liabilities and stockholders' equity:
Income taxes payable to subsidiaries	0				309,118								0	309,118
Subordinated debt and other borrowings	106,158,292				82,476,000								106,158,292	82,476,000
Other liabilities	57,478				65,653								57,478	65,653
Stockholders' equity	679,071,359				710,144,568								679,071,359	710,144,568
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	785,287,129				792,995,339								785,287,129	792,995,339
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS [Abstract]
Revenues													157,443	1,228,999	1,054,997
Expenses:
Interest expense - subordinated debentures													2,689,197	2,082,836	2,749,085
Share based compensation expense													3,664,494	4,435,739	3,981,013
Other expense													778,947	669,560	702,728
Loss before income taxes and equity in undistributed income (loss) of subsidiaries													(6,975,195)	(5,959,136)	(6,377,829)
Income tax benefit													(2,736,020)	(7,641,435)	(2,125,035)
(Loss) income before equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries and accretion on preferred stock discount													(4,239,175)	1,682,299	(4,252,794)
Equity in undistributed income (loss) of subsidiaries													46,123,056	42,055,068	(20,047,698)
Net income (loss)													41,883,881	43,737,367	(24,300,492)
Preferred stock dividends													1,660,868	4,606,493	4,815,972
Accretion on preferred stock discount													2,153,172	2,058,146	1,326,050
Net income (loss) available to common stockholders													38,069,841	37,072,728	(30,442,514)
CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS [Abstract]
Net income (loss)													41,883,881	43,737,367	(24,300,492)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Stock-based compensation expense													3,664,494	4,435,739	3,981,013
Loss (gain) on other investments													138,020	(313,562)	(272,116)
Increase (decrease) in income tax payable, net													169,016	(5,351,564)	12,796,200
(Increase) decrease in other assets													(912,116)	124,239	(2,408,735)
Decrease in other liabilities													(8,176)	(1,040)	(19,339,542)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation													(36,071)	(13,819)	(16,776)
Deferred tax (expense) benefit													(75,427)	(636,040)	842,292
Equity in undistributed (income) loss of subsidiaries													(46,123,056)	(42,055,068)	20,047,698
Net cash provided by operating activities													(1,299,435)	(73,748)	(8,670,458)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries:
Banking subsidiaries													27,210,000	0	(25,000,000)
Other subsidiaries													0	0	(200,000)
Investments in other entities													47,804	(393,304)	(422,076)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities													27,257,804	(393,304)	(25,622,076)
Financing activities:
Net increase in borrowings from line of credit													23,682,291	0	0
(Repurchase) exercise of common stock warrants													(755,000)	0	285,000
Exercise of common stock options													1,616,643	1,447,362	3,037,064
Preferred dividends paid													(2,127,604)	(4,891,840)	(4,750,000)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation arrangements													36,071	13,819	16,776
Repurchase of preferred shares outstanding													(71,250,000)	(23,750,000)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities													(48,797,599)	(27,180,659)	(1,411,160)
Net decrease in cash													(22,839,230)	(27,647,711)	(35,703,694)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year				36,496,508				64,144,219				99,847,913	36,496,508	64,144,219	99,847,913
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	13,657,278				36,496,508				64,144,219				13,657,278	36,496,508	64,144,219
Dividend received from subsidiary													$ 27,210,000	$ 0	$ 0