Note 7 - Corporate Debt	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2012
Debt Disclosure [Text Block]	7. CORPORATE DEBT As of May 31, 2012, Northern Technologies Holding Company, LLC (NTI LLC) had a term loan with a principal amount of $1,009,533 outstanding that NTI LLC obtained from PNC Bank, National Association (PNC Bank) in connection with the purchase of NTIC’s corporate headquarters in September 2006. The term loan matures on January 10, 2016, bears interest at an annual rate based on the daily LIBOR rate plus 2.15% and is payable in consecutive monthly installments equal to approximately $6,343 (inclusive of principal but exclusive of interest). The term loan is secured by a first lien on the real estate and building owned by NTI LLC and all of the assets of the Company and is guaranteed by the Company. The Company has a revolving line of credit with PNC Bank of $3,000,000 that expires on January 9, 2013. No amounts were outstanding under the line of credit as of August 31, 2012 and August 31, 2011. It is anticipated that the Company will attempt to renew the line of credit prior to the January 9, 2013 expiration date. At the option of the Company, outstanding advances under the line of credit bear interest at either (a) an annual rate based on LIBOR plus 2.15% for the applicable LIBOR interest period selected by the Company or (b) at the rate publicly announced by PNC Bank from time to time as its prime rate. Interest is payable in arrears (a) for the portion of advances bearing interest under the prime rate on the last day of each month during the term thereof and (b) for the portion of advances bearing interest under the LIBOR option on the last day of the respective LIBOR interest period selected for such advance. Any unpaid interest is payable on the maturity date. As of August 31, 2012, the interest rate was 3.18% and the weighted average rate was 3.17% for fiscal 2012. As of August 31, 2011, the interest rate was 2.50% and the weighted average rate was 2.43% for fiscal 2011. The revolving line of credit is secured by cash, receivables and inventory. The term loan and the line of credit are governed under separate loan agreements (collectively, the Loan Agreements). The Loan Agreements contain standard covenants, including affirmative financial covenants, such as the maintenance of a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and negative covenants, which, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, loans and equity investments, disposition of assets, mergers and consolidations and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. Under the Loan Agreements, the Company is subject to a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.10:1.00. As of August 31, 2012 the Company is in compliance with all debt covenants. On January 10, 2012, the Company and PNC Bank entered into a Waiver and First Amendment to Loan Documents pursuant to which the Company and PNC Bank amended the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the Company’s $3,000,000 line of credit with PNC Bank effective as of January 11, 2012 to extend the maturity date of the line of credit from January 10, 2012 to January 9, 2013, and waive a technical covenant default by the Company to deliver a compliance certificate for the period ended November 30, 2011. All other terms of the line of credit and the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the line of credit remain the same.

Note 7 - Corporate Debt

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2012

7. CORPORATE DEBT

As of May 31, 2012, Northern Technologies Holding Company, LLC (NTI LLC) had a term loan with a principal amount of $1,009,533 outstanding that NTI LLC obtained from PNC Bank, National Association (PNC Bank) in connection with the purchase of NTIC’s corporate headquarters in September 2006. The term loan matures on January 10, 2016, bears interest at an annual rate based on the daily LIBOR rate plus 2.15% and is payable in consecutive monthly installments equal to approximately $6,343 (inclusive of principal but exclusive of interest). The term loan is secured by a first lien on the real estate and building owned by NTI LLC and all of the assets of the Company and is guaranteed by the Company.

The Company has a revolving line of credit with PNC Bank of $3,000,000 that expires on January 9, 2013. No amounts were outstanding under the line of credit as of August 31, 2012 and August 31, 2011. It is anticipated that the Company will attempt to renew the line of credit prior to the January 9, 2013 expiration date. At the option of the Company, outstanding advances under the line of credit bear interest at either (a) an annual rate based on LIBOR plus 2.15% for the applicable LIBOR interest period selected by the Company or (b) at the rate publicly announced by PNC Bank from time to time as its prime rate. Interest is payable in arrears (a) for the portion of advances bearing interest under the prime rate on the last day of each month during the term thereof and (b) for the portion of advances bearing interest under the LIBOR option on the last day of the respective LIBOR interest period selected for such advance. Any unpaid interest is payable on the maturity date. As of August 31, 2012, the interest rate was 3.18% and the weighted average rate was 3.17% for fiscal 2012. As of August 31, 2011, the interest rate was 2.50% and the weighted average rate was 2.43% for fiscal 2011. The revolving line of credit is secured by cash, receivables and inventory.

The term loan and the line of credit are governed under separate loan agreements (collectively, the Loan Agreements). The Loan Agreements contain standard covenants, including affirmative financial covenants, such as the maintenance of a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and negative covenants, which, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, loans and equity investments, disposition of assets, mergers and consolidations and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements. Under the Loan Agreements, the Company is subject to a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.10:1.00. As of August 31, 2012 the Company is in compliance with all debt covenants.

On January 10, 2012, the Company and PNC Bank entered into a Waiver and First Amendment to Loan Documents pursuant to which the Company and PNC Bank amended the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the Company’s $3,000,000 line of credit with PNC Bank effective as of January 11, 2012 to extend the maturity date of the line of credit from January 10, 2012 to January 9, 2013, and waive a technical covenant default by the Company to deliver a compliance certificate for the period ended November 30, 2011. All other terms of the line of credit and the loan agreement and other documents evidencing the line of credit remain the same.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for information about short-term and long-term debt arrangements, which includes amounts of borrowings under each line of credit, note payable, commercial paper issue, bonds indenture, debenture issue, own-share lending arrangements and any other contractual agreement to repay funds, and about the underlying arrangements, rationale for a classification as long-term, including repayment terms, interest rates, collateral provided, restrictions on use of assets and activities, whether or not in compliance with debt covenants, and other matters important to users of the financial statements, such as the effects of refinancing and noncompliance with debt covenants.

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