CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 36,203,429	$ 39,320,712
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	26,836,854	34,844,349
Gross profit	9,366,575	4,476,363
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	6,700,518	5,347,741
Depreciation and amortization	1,634,547	1,737,013
Total operating expenses	8,335,065	7,084,754
Income (loss) from operations	1,031,510	(2,608,391)
Other income (expense):
Other income	80	0
Gain on sale of assets	0	2,293
Fair Value Adjustment of Warrants	1,698,747	(1,705,094)
Interest expense	(340,086)	(757,803)
Total other income (expense)	1,358,741	(2,460,604)
Income (loss) before income tax	2,390,251	(5,068,995)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0
Net income (loss)	2,390,251	(5,068,995)
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest	(398,609)	(105,431)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	2,788,860	(4,963,564)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	(10,966,349)	0
Accretion of discount on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	(932,003)	(560,675)
Dividends on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	(344,499)	(406,795)
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (9,453,991)	$ (5,931,034)
Loss per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.15)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.21)	$ (0.15)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	45,372,358	40,195,925
Diluted (in shares)	45,372,358	40,195,925