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Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Mar. 03, 2014
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName Northern Lights Variable Trust
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0001352621
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol nlvt
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Mar. 03, 2014
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Mar. 03, 2014
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Mar. 03, 2014
JNF SSgA Retirement Income Portfolio
  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading

PORTFOLIO SUMMARY – JNF SSgA RETIREMENT INCOME PORTFOLIO
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective:
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The JNF SSgA Retirement Income Portfolio’s investment objective is to provide total return , while attempting to reduce portfolio volatility over a full market cycle.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio:
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The following table describes the annual operating expenses that you pay indirectly if you invest in the Portfolio through your retirement plan or if you allocate your insurance contract premiums or payments to the Portfolio. However, each insurance contract and separate account involves fees and expenses that are not described in this Prospectus. If the fees and expenses of your insurance contract or separate account were included in this table, your overall expenses would be higher. You should review the insurance contract prospectus for a complete description of fees and expenses.
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2015-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio Turnover:
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio's performance. A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs.
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Portfolio's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Portfolio, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example:
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. You would pay the same expenses if you did not redeem your shares. However, each insurance contract and separate account involves fees and expenses that are not included in the Example. If these fees and expenses were included in the Example, your overall expenses would be higher. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies:
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Portfolio’s Adviser, JNF Advisors, Inc. (the “Adviser”), has delegated execution of the Portfolio’s investment strategy to the Portfolio’s sub-adviser. The Portfolio’s sub-adviser seeks to achieve the Portfolio’s investment objective primarily through the allocation of assets to a combination of various exchange traded products (“ETPs”). ETPs in which the Portfolio invests include exchange traded funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and exchange traded notes (“ETNs”). The Portfolio’s asset allocation is determined by the sub-adviser using a tactical asset allocation strategy together with a Target Volatility Trigger (“TVT”).

 

In accordance with the tactical asset allocation strategy, the sub-adviser invests the assets of the Portfolio among ETPs that provide exposure to four primary asset classes: (i) domestic and international equity securities; (ii) domestic and international investment grade and high yield debt securities; (iii) hybrid equity/debt securities (such as preferred stock and convertible securities); and (iv) real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). The Portfolio’s allocation among those asset classes will be in proportions consistent with the sub-adviser’s evaluation of the expected returns and risks of each asset class as well as the allocation that, in the sub-adviser’s view, will best meet the Portfolio’s investment objective. The allocations to each asset class will change over time as the sub-adviser’s expectations of each asset class shift. The Portfolio’s indirect holdings by virtue of investing in ETPs representing these asset classes will consist of a diversified mix of domestic and international equity securities, investment grade and high yield government and corporate bonds, hybrid securities such as preferred stock and convertible securities, inflation protected securities, and REITs.

 

In an effort to limit the adverse effects of volatility, the Portfolio will also incorporate a TVT designed to dynamically adjust exposures to maintain a desired target portfolio risk. Based upon a market volatility forecast, the Portfolio’s exposure to selected assets seeks to be higher in periods of low predicted volatility and lower in periods of high predicted volatility. The sub-adviser utilizes quantitative inputs to measure volatility and to determine the size of positions.

 

The TVT is implemented by first setting volatility targets for the equity and fixed income asset classes within the Portfolio. The sub-adviser then calculates a volatility forecast daily for each asset. When forecasted volatility exceeds a given target, a portion of the Portfolio’s assets is moved to fixed income investments and/or cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments (including money market funds advised by the sub-adviser). This is done through the sale of physical securities or by taking a short position in a comparable derivative security. When a forecast comes in below the target, the sub-adviser does not reduce exposure to the selected assets. A substantial portion of the Portfolio’s assets may be invested in cash and cash equivalents or money market instruments for an extended period of time as a result of the use of the TVT.

 

The Portfolio may invest in certain ETPs that pay fees to the sub-adviser and its affiliates for management, marketing or other services.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading

Principal Investment Risks:
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Portfolio. Many factors affect the Portfolio’s net asset value and performance.

 

• Convertible Securities Risk: Convertible securities tend to be subordinate to other debt securities issued by the same issuer so such securities may not receive full repayment in the event of an issuer default. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at a price above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates.

 

• Credit Risk: There is a risk that issuers and counterparties will not make payments on securities and other investments held by the Portfolio or through an ETP, resulting in losses to the Portfolio. In addition, the credit quality of securities held by the Portfolio may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of the Portfolio. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult for the Portfolio to sell the security. The Portfolio may invest, directly or indirectly, in “junk bonds.” Such securities are speculative investments that carry greater risks than higher quality debt securities.

 

• Derivatives Risk: Even a small investment in derivatives (which include options, futures, swap contracts and other transactions) may give rise to leverage risk, and can have a significant impact on the Portfolio’s performance. Derivatives are also subject to credit risk and liquidity risk.

 

• ETF Investment Risk: ETFs are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Portfolio. As a result, the cost of investing in the Portfolio will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Index-based ETFs in which the Portfolio invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track and the market value of ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. Each ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the ETF and ETFs that invest in the “Alternative Asset” market segment may be more volatile than other Portfolio investments.

 

The Portfolio’s sub-adviser may receive management or other fees from the ETFs (“Affiliated ETFs”) in which the Portfolio may invest, as well as a sub-advisory fee for managing the Portfolio’s assets. It is possible that a conflict of interest among the Portfolio and the Affiliated ETFs could affect how the sub-adviser fulfills its fiduciary duties to the Portfolio and the Affiliated ETFs. Because the amount of the investment management fees to be earned by the sub-adviser may differ depending upon the Affiliated ETFs in which the Portfolio invests, there is a conflict of interest for the sub-adviser in selecting the Affiliated ETFs. In addition, the sub-adviser may have an incentive to take into account the effect on an Affiliated ETF in which the Portfolio may invest in determining whether, and under what circumstances, to purchase or sell shares in that Affiliated ETF. Although the sub-adviser takes steps to address the conflicts of interest, it is possible that the conflicts could negatively impact the Portfolio.

 

• ETN Investment Risk: The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced market. Because ETNs are debt securities, they are subject to credit risk. If the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the Portfolio may not receive the return it was promised and could lose its entire investment. There are no periodic interest payments for ETNs, and principal is not protected. As is the case with ETFs, an investor could lose some of or the entire amount invested in ETNs. The Portfolio’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market.

 

• Fixed Income Risk: When the Portfolio invests in ETPs that own bonds, or in this type of security directly, the value of your investment in the Portfolio will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of bond funds owned by the Portfolio. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. Your investment will decline in value if the value of the Portfolio’s investments decreases.

 

• Foreign Investment Risk: Foreign investing involves risks not typically associated with U.S. investments, including adverse fluctuations in foreign currency values, adverse political, social and economic developments, less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. Investing in emerging markets imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries.

 

• Issuer-Specific Risk: The value of a specific security or ETP can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. The value of certain types of securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments.

 

• Management Risk: The Adviser’s and the Sub-Adviser’s investment decisions about individual securities and derivatives as well as ETPs impact the Portfolio’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Adviser’s and the Sub-Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness and potential appreciation of particular investments in which the Portfolio invests may prove to be incorrect and there is no guarantee that the Adviser’s or the Sub-Adviser’s investment strategy will produce the desired results.

 

• Market Risk: Overall stock market risks may affect the value of individual securities, derivatives and ETPs in which the Portfolio invests. Factors such as domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the securities markets. When the value of the Portfolio’s investments goes down, your investment in the Portfolio decreases in value and you could lose money.

 

• Portfolio Turnover Risk: Portfolio turnover refers to the rate at which the securities held by the Portfolio are replaced. The higher the rate, the higher the transactional and brokerage costs associated with the turnover, which may reduce the Portfolio’s return unless the securities traded can be bought and sold without corresponding commission costs. Active trading of securities may also increase the Portfolio’s realized capital gains or losses, which may affect the taxes you pay as a Portfolio shareholder.

 

• Preferred Securities Risk: Generally, preferred security holders (such as the Portfolio) have no voting rights with respect to the issuing company unless certain events occur. In addition, preferred securities are subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Unlike debt securities, dividend payments on a preferred security typically must be declared by the issuer’s board of directors. An issuer’s board of directors is generally not under any obligation to pay a dividend (even if such dividends have accrued), and may suspend payment of dividends on preferred securities at any time.

 

• Real Estate Sector Risk: Investments in real estate securities are subject to the risks of decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increased competition and local or general economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent and fluctuations in rental income. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of real estate securities. Certain real estate securities have a relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of these securities. Real estate securities are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency and defaults by borrowers. In addition, a REIT may fail to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code.

 

• TVT Risk: There is no guarantee that the TVT will work as intended. Because market conditions change, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, the success of the TVT will be subject to the sub-adviser’s ability to implement the TVT in a timely and efficient manner. The sub-adviser’s volatility forecasts may be incorrect, or the allocation changes made by the sub-adviser in response to volatility forecasts may fail to have the intended effect. The TVT may result in periods of underperformance, may limit the Portfolio’s ability to participate in rising markets and may increase transaction costs. The Portfolio’s performance may be lower than similar portfolios that are not subject to volatility management techniques.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Portfolio.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance:
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

Because the Portfolio has less than a full calendar year of investment operations, no bar chart or Average Annual Total Returns table is presented for the Portfolio at this time. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus. Also, shareholder reports containing financial and performance information will be mailed to shareholders semi-annually.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess Because the Portfolio has less than a full calendar year of investment operations, no bar chart or Average Annual Total Returns table is presented for the Portfolio at this time. In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus.
JNF SSgA Retirement Income Portfolio | JNF SSgA Retirement Income Portfolio
  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.50%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.29%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.31% [1]
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.35%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.04%) [2]
Net Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.31%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 133
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 $ 424
[1] Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Portfolio's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Portfolio, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.
[2] The Portfolio's adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees and reimburse expenses of the Portfolio, at least until April 30, 2015 to ensure that Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursements (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred loads; brokerage fees and commissions; acquired fund fees and expenses; fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); taxes; and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees, contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser))) will not exceed 1.00% of the Portfolio. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements by the adviser are subject to possible recoupment from the Portfolio in future years on a rolling three-year basis (within the three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits. These agreements may be terminated only by the Portfolio's Board of Trustees, on 60 days' written notice to the adviser.