CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 180,720,661	$ 145,499,092
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	151,314,039	124,226,489
Gross profit	29,406,622	21,272,603
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	21,927,264	21,685,542
Depreciation and amortization	6,991,010	6,643,324
Total operating expenses	28,918,274	28,328,866
Income (loss) from operations	488,348	(7,056,263)
Other income (expense):
Other income	659	5,748
Gain on sale of assets	45,553	445
Gain on change in value of derivative warrant liability	763,716	2,120,584
Interest expense	(3,281,855)	(3,483,062)
Total expense	(2,471,927)	(1,356,285)
Loss before income taxes	(1,983,579)	(8,412,548)
Income tax benefit	0	274,423
Net loss	(1,983,579)	(8,138,125)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	234,188	295,108
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(2,217,767)	(8,433,233)
Accretion of discount on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	(3,132,414)	(1,713,736)
Dividends on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	(2,687,123)	(1,677,633)
Net loss available to common stockholders	$ (8,037,304)	$ (11,824,602)
Income (loss) per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.36)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.36)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	35,411,264	32,653,402
Diluted (in shares)	35,411,264	32,653,402