ACQUISITIONS (Details 2) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 146,942,461	$ 258,904,867
Income (loss) from operations	(14,093,041)	(10,494,621)
Net income (loss)	(22,516,889)	(5,871,642)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	325,399
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	$ (22,516,889)	$ (5,546,243)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.86)	$ (0.23)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.86)	$ (0.23)
Omega Refining
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 297,530,020
Income (loss) from operations		(9,690,082)
Net income (loss)		(5,264,085)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests		325,399
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.		$ (4,938,686)
Earnings (loss) per common share-Basic (in USD per share)		$ (0.21)
Earnings (loss) per common share-Diluted (in USD per share)		$ (0.21)
Heartland Group Holdings, LLC
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 285,631,001
Income (loss) from operations		(15,221,616)
Net income (loss)		(10,844,700)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests		325,399
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.		$ (10,519,301)
Earnings (loss) per common share-Basic (in USD per share)		$ (0.44)
Earnings (loss) per common share-Diluted (in USD per share)		$ (0.44)