CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 145,499,092	$ 98,078,914
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)	123,393,313	81,759,814
Gross profit	22,105,779	16,319,100
Selling, general and administrative expenses	21,685,542	20,154,399
Depreciation and amortization	6,643,324	6,277,215
Total selling, general and administrative expenses	28,328,866	26,431,614
Loss from operations	(6,223,087)	(10,112,514)
Other income (expense):
Other income	5,748	5,974
Gain on sale of assets	445	9,631,712
Gain on change in value of derivative liability	2,120,584	49,876
Realized loss on futures contracts	(833,176)	(548,380)
Interest expense	(3,483,062)	(3,094,956)
Total other income (expense)	(2,189,461)	6,044,226
Loss before income taxes	(8,412,548)	(4,068,288)
Income tax benefit	274,423	117,646
Net loss	(8,138,125)	(3,950,642)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	295,108	2,179
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(8,433,233)	(3,952,821)
Accretion of discount on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	(1,713,736)	(1,762,378)
Accrual of dividends on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock and retirement of a portion of Series B and B-1 Preferred discount	(1,677,633)	(9,822,196)
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (11,824,602)	$ (15,537,395)
Earnings per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.36)	$ (0.51)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.36)	$ (0.51)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	32,653,402	30,520,820
Diluted (in shares)	32,653,402	30,520,820