Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Other Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Intangible Assets	$ 123,439	$ 112,172
Accumulated Amortization	(84,072)	(75,538)
Valuation Allowance	(592)	(504)
Net Intangible Assets	38,775	36,130
Loan Servicing Rights [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Intangible Assets	72,154	71,100
Accumulated Amortization	(51,708)	(45,032)
Valuation Allowance	(592)	(504)
Net Intangible Assets	19,854	25,564
Core Deposits [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Intangible Assets	46,694	35,194
Accumulated Amortization	(29,916)	(27,238)
Valuation Allowance	0	0
Net Intangible Assets	16,778	7,956
Other [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Intangible Assets	4,591	5,878
Accumulated Amortization	(2,448)	(3,268)
Valuation Allowance	0	0
Net Intangible Assets	$ 2,143	$ 2,610

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph ((a)(1),(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of valuation allowance applied to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 50

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)(5)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7882072&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_CoreDepositsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=vly_LoanServicingRightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: