Reserves on Deposit with the Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Bank Stock Shares Held at Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure Shares Held At Federal Reserve Bank And Federal Home Loan Bank [Abstract]
FHLB stock holdings	$ 17,250	$ 17,250
FRB stock holdings	$ 40,342	$ 39,741

Disclosure - Shares Held at Federal Reserve Bank and Federal Home Loan Bank [Abstract]

No definition available.

Name:	sivb_DisclosureSharesHeldAtFederalReserveBankAndFederalHomeLoanBankAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	sivb_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) stock represents an equity interest in a FHLB. It does not have a readily determinable fair value because its ownership is restricted and it lacks a market (liquidity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 325
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6478792&loc=d3e63345-112809

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankStock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Federal Reserve Bank stock represents an equity interest in the Federal Reserve Bank. It does not have a readily determinable fair value because its ownership is restricted and it lacks a market (liquidity).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FederalReserveBankStock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant