GOODWILL, CORE DEPOSIT INTANGIBLES AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Changes in Capitalized Mortgage and Commercial Servicing Rights) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Servicing Assets at Fair Value [Line Items]
Servicing Asset, Fair Value, Change in Fair Value, Other, Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible Enumeration]	Net gains on sale of loans held for sale	Net gains on sale of loans held for sale
Mortgage Servicing Rights
Servicing Asset at Fair Value, Amount [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 6,412	$ 5,189
Originations	1,425	1,522
Amortization	(1,139)	(1,387)
Writedown on mortgage servicing rights	(516)	0
Valuation adjustment	1,658	1,088
Balance at end of period	7,840	6,412
Fair value of mortgage servicing rights	7,840	6,412
Commercial Servicing Rights
Servicing Asset at Fair Value, Amount [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of period	478	863
Originations	0	0
Amortization	(478)	(385)
Balance at end of period	0	478
Fair value of mortgage servicing rights	$ 0	$ 782
Servicing rights, net to servicing portfolio (as a percent)	0.00%	1.05%

Servicing Asset, Net to Servicing Portfolio, Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	htlf_ServicingAssetNettoServicingPortfolioPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	htlf_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The adjustment to the carrying value of the rights retained or purchased to service mortgages. These adjustments are made when the estimate of the fair value is changed. This element is a noncash adjustment to net income when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126954810&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(6)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128311188&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageServicingRightsMSRImpairmentRecovery
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amortized amount of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128311188&loc=d3e122739-111746

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122492-111745

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/recommendedDisclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122501-111745

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of amortization of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueAmortization1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of other increase (decrease) to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueOtherChangesThatAffectBalanceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtFairValueAmountRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicates line item in statement of income or comprehensive income that includes increase (decrease) in fair value classified as other for contract to service financial asset under which benefit of servicing is expected to more than adequately compensate servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128311188&loc=d3e122625-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtFairValueOtherChangeInFairValueStatementOfIncomeOrComprehensiveIncomeExtensibleEnumeration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	enum2:enumerationSetItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from changes in fair value classified as other for a contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(4)(ii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128311188&loc=d3e122625-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtFairValueOtherChangesInFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetsAtFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=htlf_MortgageServicingRightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=htlf_CommercialServicingRightsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: