CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 65,194,911	$ 21,374,127	$ 123,278,904	$ 57,577,556
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	52,904,991	22,197,805	96,251,265	49,034,659
Depreciation and amortization attributable to costs of revenues	1,393,350	1,239,564	2,741,170	2,415,986
Gross profit (loss)	10,896,570	(2,063,242)	24,286,469	6,126,911
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	8,825,940	6,030,560	16,752,520	12,731,078
Depreciation and amortization attributable to operating expenses	482,869	473,897	965,738	932,033
Total operating expenses	9,308,809	6,504,457	17,718,258	13,663,111
Income (loss) from operations	1,587,761	(8,567,699)	6,568,211	(7,536,200)
Other income (expense):
Other income	4,222,000	20	4,222,000	100
Gain on sale of assets	0	12,344	1,424	12,344
Loss on change in value of derivative warrant liability	(21,507,332)	(110,965)	(23,287,535)	1,587,782
Interest expense	(259,091)	(222,173)	(495,424)	(562,259)
Total other income (expense)	(17,544,423)	(320,774)	(19,559,535)	1,037,967
Loss before income tax	(15,956,662)	(8,888,473)	(12,991,324)	(6,498,233)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net loss	(15,956,662)	(8,888,473)	(12,991,324)	(6,498,233)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest	3,417,907	109,165	5,408,876	(289,444)
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(19,374,569)	(8,997,638)	(18,400,200)	(6,208,789)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	(388,245)	(1,381,889)	(761,993)	(12,348,238)
Accretion of discount on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	(283,555)	(539,235)	(507,282)	(1,471,238)
Dividends on Series B and B1 Preferred Stock	0	(360,217)	258,138	(704,716)
Net loss available to common shareholders	$ (20,046,369)	$ (11,278,979)	$ (19,411,337)	$ (20,732,981)
Loss per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.38)	$ (0.25)	$ (0.39)	$ (0.46)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.38)	$ (0.25)	$ (0.39)	$ (0.46)
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (in shares)	52,683,012	45,554,841	50,209,970	45,463,600
Diluted (in shares)	52,683,012	45,554,841	50,209,970	45,463,600