PARENT COMPANY STATEMENTS (CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME) (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, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other income									$ 2,147,000	$ 1,817,000	$ 2,175,000
Interest expense on subordinated debt	(5,819,000)	(6,500,000)	(7,101,000)	(7,278,000)	(7,383,000)	(7,610,000)	(7,603,000)	(7,216,000)	(26,698,000)	(29,812,000)	(30,872,000)
Income tax benefit	(3,808,000)	(4,740,000)	(4,392,000)	(4,242,000)	(3,672,000)	(4,418,000)	(4,001,000)	(2,627,000)	(17,182,000)	(14,718,000)	(12,237,000)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE									52,576,000	45,380,000	36,780,000
NET INCOME	8,602,000	9,347,000	8,819,000	8,626,000	8,261,000	8,447,000	7,989,000	5,965,000	35,394,000	30,662,000	24,543,000
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									35,944,000	34,451,000	31,886,000
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Dividends from Lake City Bank, Lakeland Statutory Trust II									15,745,000	10,507,000	10,775,000
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries									21,476,000	21,943,000	15,104,000
Other income									85,000	76,000	88,000
Interest expense on subordinated debt									(1,123,000)	(1,070,000)	(1,081,000)
Miscellaneous expense									(1,976,000)	(1,906,000)	(1,146,000)
Income tax benefit									1,187,000	1,112,000	803,000
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE									34,207,000	29,550,000	23,740,000
NET INCOME									35,394,000	30,662,000	24,543,000
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									$ 35,944,000	$ 34,451,000	$ 31,886,000