Regulatory Requirements	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2012
Regulatory Requirements Disclosure [Abstract]
Regulatory Requirements	23. Regulatory Requirements The Company is required to maintain net capital in certain regulated subsidiaries within a number of jurisdictions. Such requirements may limit the Company's ability to make withdrawals of capital from these subsidiaries. EVD, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and principal underwriter of the Eaton Vance Funds, is subject to the Securities and Exchange Commission uniform net capital rule, which requires the maintenance of minimum net capital. For purposes of this rule, EVD had net capital of $42.9 million, which exceeds its minimum net capital requirement of $3.9 million at October 31, 2012. The ratio of aggregate indebtedness to net capital at October 31, 2012 was 1.35-to-1. At October 31, 2012, the Company was required to maintain net capital in certain other regulated subsidiaries. The Company was in compliance with all applicable regulatory minimum net capital requirements.

Regulatory Requirements

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2012

Regulatory Requirements Disclosure [Abstract]

23. Regulatory Requirements

The Company is required to maintain net capital in certain regulated subsidiaries within a number of jurisdictions. Such requirements may limit the Company's ability to make withdrawals of capital from these subsidiaries.

EVD, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and principal underwriter of the Eaton Vance Funds, is subject to the Securities and Exchange Commission uniform net capital rule, which requires the maintenance of minimum net capital. For purposes of this rule, EVD had net capital of $42.9 million, which exceeds its minimum net capital requirement of $3.9 million at October 31, 2012. The ratio of aggregate indebtedness to net capital at October 31, 2012 was 1.35-to-1.

At October 31, 2012, the Company was required to maintain net capital in certain other regulated subsidiaries. The Company was in compliance with all applicable regulatory minimum net capital requirements.