CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 37,799,259	$ 50,632,948	$ 120,777,263	$ 138,918,913
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	32,372,316	42,593,367	103,732,086	114,434,776
Gross profit	5,426,943	8,039,581	17,045,177	24,484,137
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	6,153,184	5,658,659	17,529,784	16,668,692
Depreciation and amortization	1,815,582	1,806,839	5,333,485	5,234,014
Total operating expenses	7,968,766	7,465,498	22,863,269	21,902,706
Income (loss) from operations	(2,541,823)	574,083	(5,818,092)	2,581,431
Other income (expense):
Other income	918,153	0	920,071	659
Gain on sale of assets	0	0	31,443	51,523
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	1,290,792	(2,169,133)	331,715	(2,124,971)
Interest expense	(826,005)	(798,800)	(2,322,780)	(2,448,771)
Total other income (expense)	1,382,940	(2,967,933)	(1,039,551)	(4,521,560)
Loss before income tax	(1,158,883)	(2,393,850)	(6,857,643)	(1,940,129)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net loss	(1,158,883)	(2,393,850)	(6,857,643)	(1,940,129)
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest	(67,102)	(105,970)	(374,862)	76,305
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(1,091,781)	(2,287,880)	(6,482,781)	(2,016,434)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	(1,849,930)	0	(1,849,930)	0
Accretion of discount on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	(550,774)	(1,152,968)	(1,644,374)	(2,351,472)
Dividends on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	(419,096)	(1,194,524)	(1,238,766)	(2,284,121)
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (3,911,581)	$ (4,635,372)	$ (11,215,851)	$ (6,652,027)
Loss per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.20)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.13)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.20)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	41,376,335	35,144,113	40,626,700	33,843,721
Diluted (in shares)	41,376,335	35,144,113	40,626,700	33,843,721