CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 24,428,444	$ 49,119,711	$ 38,561,048	$ 86,804,050
Cost of revenues	19,168,398	43,635,177	33,539,526	81,643,633
Gross profit	5,260,046	5,484,534	5,021,522	5,160,417
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of acquisition related expenses)	4,688,035	5,641,250	10,184,022	11,011,278
Depreciation and amortization expense	1,553,655	1,561,314	3,147,239	3,118,296
Acquisition related expenses	26,523	0	75,899	157,678
Total operating expenses	6,268,213	7,202,564	13,407,160	14,287,252
Loss from operations	(1,008,167)	(1,718,030)	(8,385,638)	(9,126,835)
Other income (expense):
Provision for doubtful accounts	0	0	0	(2,650,000)
Other income	2,486	10	2,963	18
Loss on sale of assets	0	0	(46,728)	(57,660)
Gain on sale of assets	0	12,818	9,748,561	0
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative liability	1,645,288	1,816,982	(341,032)	1,816,982
Loss on futures contracts	(317,675)	0	(261,759)	0
Interest expense	(406,019)	(556,975)	(2,321,511)	(2,088,155)
Total other income (expense)	924,080	1,272,835	6,780,494	(2,978,815)
Loss before income tax	(84,087)	(445,195)	(1,605,144)	(12,105,650)
Income tax benefit/(expense)	0	0	117,646	(5,306,000)
Net loss	(84,087)	(445,195)	(1,487,498)	(17,411,650)
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	(41,427)	0	(41,427)
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(42,660)	(445,195)	(1,446,071)	(17,411,650)
Accretion of discount on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	(471,877)	0	(858,535)	0
Accrual of dividends on Series B and B-1 Preferred Stock and retirement of a portion of Series B Preferred discount	(5,817,327)	0	(6,191,033)	0
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (6,331,864)	$ (445,195)	$ (8,495,639)	$ (17,411,650)
Loss per common share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.62)
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.62)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (shares)	29,765,702	28,130,575	29,535,212	28,124,492
Diluted (shares)	29,765,702	28,130,575	29,535,212	28,124,492