3.7.0.1 html 331 397 1 true 118 0 false 14 false false R1.htm 100000 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DocumentDocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information Cover 1 false false R2.htm 100010 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONDENSEDCONSOLIDATEDBALANCESHEETS CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS Statements 2 false false R3.htm 100020 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONDENSEDCONSOLIDATEDBALANCESHEETSParenthetical CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) Statements 3 false false R4.htm 100030 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFOPERATIONS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Statements 4 false false R5.htm 100040 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFSTOCKHOLDERSEQUITY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Statements 5 false false R6.htm 100050 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFSTOCKHOLDERSEQUITYParenthetical CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Parenthetical) Statements 6 false false R7.htm 100060 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFCOMPREHENSIVEINCOME CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Statements 7 false false R8.htm 100070 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/StatementCONSOLIDATEDSTATEMENTSOFCASHFLOWS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS Statements 8 false false R9.htm 100080 - Disclosure - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureValuationAndQualifyingAccounts Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Notes 9 false false R10.htm 100090 - Disclosure - Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPolicies Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Notes 10 false false R11.htm 100100 - Disclosure - Property, Plant and Equipment Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePropertyPlantAndEquipment Property, Plant and Equipment Notes 11 false false R12.htm 100110 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLongTermDebt Long-Term Debt Notes 12 false false R13.htm 100120 - Disclosure - Income Taxes Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureIncomeTaxes Income Taxes Notes 13 false false R14.htm 100130 - Disclosure - Litigation and Environmental Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLitigationAndEnvironmental Litigation and Environmental Notes 14 false false R15.htm 100140 - Disclosure - Employee Deferred Compensation Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEmployeeDeferredCompensationPlanAndEmployeeStockPurchasePlan Employee Deferred Compensation Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan Notes 15 false false R16.htm 100150 - Disclosure - Major Customers and International Sales Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureMajorCustomersAndInternationalSales Major Customers and International Sales Notes 16 false false R17.htm 100160 - Disclosure - Royalties Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureRoyalties Royalties Notes 17 false false R18.htm 100170 - Disclosure - Product Acquisitions Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureProductAcquisitions Product Acquisitions Notes 18 false false R19.htm 100180 - Disclosure - Commitments Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCommitments Commitments Notes 19 false false R20.htm 100190 - Disclosure - Research and Development Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureResearchAndDevelopment Research and Development Notes 20 false false R21.htm 100200 - Disclosure - Equity Plan Awards Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityPlanAwards Equity Plan Awards Notes 21 false false R22.htm 100210 - Disclosure - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Notes 22 false false R23.htm 100220 - Disclosure - Equity Method Investments Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityMethodInvestments Equity Method Investments Notes 23 false false R24.htm 100230 - Disclosure - Cost Method Investment Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCostMethodInvestment Cost Method Investment Notes 24 false false R25.htm 100240 - Disclosure - Quarterly Data-Unaudited Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureQuarterlyDataUnaudited Quarterly Data-Unaudited Notes 25 false false R26.htm 100250 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSubsequentEvent Subsequent Event Notes 26 false false R27.htm 100260 - Disclosure - Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Policies http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPolicies 27 false false R28.htm 100270 - Disclosure - Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesTables Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPolicies 28 false false R29.htm 100280 - Disclosure - Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePropertyPlantAndEquipmentTables Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePropertyPlantAndEquipment 29 false false R30.htm 100290 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLongTermDebtTables Long-Term Debt (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLongTermDebt 30 false false R31.htm 100300 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureIncomeTaxesTables Income Taxes (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureIncomeTaxes 31 false false R32.htm 100310 - Disclosure - Major Customers and International Sales (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureMajorCustomersAndInternationalSalesTables Major Customers and International Sales (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureMajorCustomersAndInternationalSales 32 false false R33.htm 100320 - Disclosure - Product Acquisitions (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureProductAcquisitionsTables Product Acquisitions (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureProductAcquisitions 33 false false R34.htm 100330 - Disclosure - Commitments (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCommitmentsTables Commitments (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCommitments 34 false false R35.htm 100340 - Disclosure - Equity Plan Awards (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityPlanAwardsTables Equity Plan Awards (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityPlanAwards 35 false false R36.htm 100350 - Disclosure - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLossTables Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss 36 false false R37.htm 100360 - Disclosure - Quarterly Data-Unaudited (Tables) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureQuarterlyDataUnauditedTables Quarterly Data-Unaudited (Tables) Tables http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureQuarterlyDataUnaudited 37 false false R38.htm 100370 - Disclosure - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureValuationAndQualifyingAccountsDetail Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Detail) Details http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureValuationAndQualifyingAccounts 38 false false R39.htm 100380 - Disclosure - Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesAdditionalInformationDetail Description of Business, Basis of Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) Details http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureDescriptionOfBusinessBasisOfConsolidationBasisOfPresentationAndSignificantAccountingPoliciesTables 39 false false R40.htm 100390 - Disclosure - Summary of Business Sales Segmentation as per Product (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfBusinessSalesSegmentationAsPerProductDetail Summary of Business Sales Segmentation as per Product (Detail) Details 40 false false R41.htm 100400 - Disclosure - Summary of Operating Expense (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfOperatingExpenseDetail Summary of Operating Expense (Detail) Details 41 false false R42.htm 100410 - Disclosure - Components of Inventories (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureComponentsOfInventoriesDetail Components of Inventories (Detail) Details 42 false false R43.htm 100420 - Disclosure - Components of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureComponentsOfBasicAndDilutedEarningsPerShareDetail Components of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Detail) Details 43 false false R44.htm 100430 - Disclosure - Unamortized Stock-Based Compensation Expenses (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureUnamortizedStockBasedCompensationExpensesDetail Unamortized Stock-Based Compensation Expenses (Detail) Details 44 false false R45.htm 100440 - Disclosure - Summary of Value Option Grants Using Weighted Average Assumptions (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfValueOptionGrantsUsingWeightedAverageAssumptionsDetail Summary of Value Option Grants Using Weighted Average Assumptions (Detail) Details 45 false false R46.htm 100450 - Disclosure - Summary of Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDetail Summary of Property, Plant and Equipment (Detail) Details 46 false false R47.htm 100460 - Disclosure - Property, Plant And Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePropertyPlantAndEquipmentAdditionalInformationDetail Property, Plant And Equipment - Additional Information (Detail) Details 47 false false R48.htm 100470 - Disclosure - Summary of Long Term Debt (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfLongTermDebtDetail Summary of Long Term Debt (Detail) Details 48 false false R49.htm 100490 - Disclosure - Principal Payments on Long-Term Debt (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePrincipalPaymentsOnLongTermDebtDetail Principal Payments on Long-Term Debt (Detail) Details 49 false false R50.htm 100500 - Disclosure - Summary of Long Term Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfLongTermDebtParentheticalDetail Summary of Long Term Debt (Parenthetical) (Detail) Details 50 false false R51.htm 100510 - Disclosure - Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLongTermDebtAdditionalInformationDetail Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) Details 51 false false R52.htm 100520 - Disclosure - Components of Income Tax (Benefit) Expense (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureComponentsOfIncomeTaxBenefitExpenseDetail Components of Income Tax (Benefit) Expense (Detail) Details 52 false false R53.htm 100530 - Disclosure - Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureIncomeTaxesAdditionalInformationDetail Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) Details 53 false false R54.htm 100540 - Disclosure - Total Income Tax Expense Applying U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureTotalIncomeTaxExpenseApplyingUSFederalIncomeTaxRateDetail Total Income Tax Expense Applying U.S. Federal Income Tax Rate (Detail) Details 54 false false R55.htm 100550 - Disclosure - Income before provision for income taxes and losses on equity investment (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureIncomeBeforeProvisionForIncomeTaxesAndLossesOnEquityInvestmentDetail Income before provision for income taxes and losses on equity investment (Detail) Details 55 false false R56.htm 100560 - Disclosure - Temporary Differences in Financial Statement Carrying Amounts and Tax Bases of Assets and Liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureTemporaryDifferencesInFinancialStatementCarryingAmountsAndTaxBasesOfAssetsAndLiabilitiesDetail Temporary Differences in Financial Statement Carrying Amounts and Tax Bases of Assets and Liabilities (Detail) Details 56 false false R57.htm 100570 - Disclosure - Gross Unrecognized Tax Liabilities (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureGrossUnrecognizedTaxLiabilitiesDetail Gross Unrecognized Tax Liabilities (Detail) Details 57 false false R58.htm 100580 - Disclosure - Litigation and Environmental - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureLitigationAndEnvironmentalAdditionalInformationDetail Litigation and Environmental - Additional Information (Detail) Details 58 false false R59.htm 100590 - Disclosure - Employee Deferred Compensation Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEmployeeDeferredCompensationPlanAndEmployeeStockPurchasePlanAdditionalInformationDetail Employee Deferred Compensation Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan - Additional Information (Detail) Details 59 false false R60.htm 100600 - Disclosure - Major Customers and International Sales - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureMajorCustomersAndInternationalSalesAdditionalInformationDetail Major Customers and International Sales - Additional Information (Detail) Details 60 false false R61.htm 100610 - Disclosure - Summary of International Sales (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfInternationalSalesDetail Summary of International Sales (Detail) Details 61 false false R62.htm 100620 - Disclosure - Royalties - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureRoyaltiesAdditionalInformationDetail Royalties - Additional Information (Detail) Details 62 false false R63.htm 100630 - Disclosure - Product Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureProductAcquisitionsAdditionalInformationDetail Product Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) Details 63 false false R64.htm 100640 - Disclosure - Schedule of Intangible Assets Recognized in Connection with Product Acquisitions (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureScheduleOfIntangibleAssetsRecognizedInConnectionWithProductAcquisitionsDetail Schedule of Intangible Assets Recognized in Connection with Product Acquisitions (Detail) Details 64 false false R65.htm 100650 - Disclosure - Schedule of Gross Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Intangible Assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureScheduleOfGrossCarryingAmountAndAccumulatedAmortizationOfIntangibleAssetsDetail Schedule of Gross Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Intangible Assets (Detail) Details 65 false false R66.htm 100660 - Disclosure - Schedule of Future Amortization Charges Related to Intangible Assets (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureScheduleOfFutureAmortizationChargesRelatedToIntangibleAssetsDetail Schedule of Future Amortization Charges Related to Intangible Assets (Detail) Details 66 false false R67.htm 100670 - Disclosure - Schedule of Company's Obligations Under Product Acquisitions and Licensing Agreements (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureScheduleOfCompanySObligationsUnderProductAcquisitionsAndLicensingAgreementsDetail Schedule of Company's Obligations Under Product Acquisitions and Licensing Agreements (Detail) Details 67 false false R68.htm 100680 - Disclosure - Commitments - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCommitmentsAdditionalInformationDetail Commitments - Additional Information (Detail) Details 68 false false R69.htm 100690 - Disclosure - Future Minimum Lease Payments Under Term Of Leases (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureFutureMinimumLeasePaymentsUnderTermOfLeasesDetail Future Minimum Lease Payments Under Term Of Leases (Detail) Details 69 false false R70.htm 100700 - Disclosure - Research and Development - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureResearchAndDevelopmentAdditionalInformationDetail Research and Development - Additional Information (Detail) Details 70 false false R71.htm 100710 - Disclosure - Equity Plan Awards - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityPlanAwardsAdditionalInformationDetail Equity Plan Awards - Additional Information (Detail) Details 71 false false R72.htm 100720 - Disclosure - Summary of Option Activity (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfOptionActivityDetail Summary of Option Activity (Detail) Details 72 false false R73.htm 100730 - Disclosure - Summary of Stock Options Summarized by Exercise Price (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfStockOptionsSummarizedByExercisePriceDetail Summary of Stock Options Summarized by Exercise Price (Detail) Details 73 false false R74.htm 100740 - Disclosure - Weighted Average Exercise Prices for Options Granted and Exercisable and Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life for Options Outstanding (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureWeightedAverageExercisePricesForOptionsGrantedAndExercisableAndWeightedAverageRemainingContractualLifeForOptionsOutstandingDetail Weighted Average Exercise Prices for Options Granted and Exercisable and Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life for Options Outstanding (Detail) Details 74 false false R75.htm 100750 - Disclosure - Summary of Non-Vested Shares (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfNonVestedSharesDetail Summary of Non-Vested Shares (Detail) Details 75 false false R76.htm 100760 - Disclosure - Status Summary of Non-Vested Shares (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureStatusSummaryOfNonVestedSharesDetail Status Summary of Non-Vested Shares (Detail) Details 76 false false R77.htm 100770 - Disclosure - Summary of Performance option activity (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureSummaryOfPerformanceOptionActivityDetail Summary of Performance option activity (Detail) Details 77 false false R78.htm 100780 - Disclosure - Performance Option Summarized by Exercise Price (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePerformanceOptionSummarizedByExercisePriceDetail Performance Option Summarized by Exercise Price (Detail) Details 78 false false R79.htm 100790 - Disclosure - Performance Option Weighted Average Exercise Prices for Options Granted and Exercisable and Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life for Options Outstanding (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosurePerformanceOptionWeightedAverageExercisePricesForOptionsGrantedAndExercisableAndWeightedAverageRemainingContractualLifeForOptionsOutstandingDetail Performance Option Weighted Average Exercise Prices for Options Granted and Exercisable and Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life for Options Outstanding (Detail) Details 79 false false R80.htm 100800 - Disclosure - Beginning Balance, Annual Activity and Ending Balance of each Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureBeginningBalanceAnnualActivityAndEndingBalanceOfEachComponentOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLossDetail Beginning Balance, Annual Activity and Ending Balance of each Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Detail) Details 80 false false R81.htm 100810 - Disclosure - Equity Method Investments - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureEquityMethodInvestmentsAdditionalInformationDetail Equity Method Investments - Additional Information (Detail) Details 81 false false R82.htm 100820 - Disclosure - Cost Method Investment - Additional Information (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureCostMethodInvestmentAdditionalInformationDetail Cost Method Investment - Additional Information (Detail) Details 82 false false R83.htm 100830 - Disclosure - Schedule of Quarterly Data (Detail) Sheet http://www.american-vanguard.com/20161231/taxonomy/role/DisclosureScheduleOfQuarterlyDataDetail Schedule of Quarterly Data (Detail) Details 83 false false All Reports Book All Reports avd-20161231.xml avd-20161231.xsd avd-20161231_cal.xml avd-20161231_def.xml avd-20161231_lab.xml avd-20161231_pre.xml true true