PARENT COMPANY CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION - INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income and expenses:
Interest income	$ 56,349	$ 53,725	$ 47,821	$ 60,883	$ 45,903	$ 43,934	$ 40,140	$ 44,015	$ 218,778	$ 173,992	$ 142,432
Other income									4,108	4,398	2,405
Less: Interest Expense	5,711	5,418	4,684	4,445	4,258	4,536	4,563	4,581	20,258	17,938	18,462
Less: Other expenses									11,386	8,305	7,458
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	16,612	16,434	15,269	30,071	14,960	14,676	12,699	26,628	78,386	68,963	53,244
Income tax benefit	(11,774)	(5,728)	(5,198)	(10,054)	(4,960)	(4,848)	(4,359)	(8,893)	(32,754)	(23,060)	(18,078)
NET INCOME	$ 4,838	$ 10,706	$ 10,071	$ 20,017	$ 10,000	$ 9,828	$ 8,340	$ 17,735	45,632	45,903	35,166
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									45,361	44,541	32,900
Republic Bancorp, Inc.
Income and expenses:
Dividends from subsidiary									20,063	19,114	17,340
Interest income									186	162	17
Other income									45	45	45
Less: Interest Expense									1,094	915	2,056
Less: Other expenses									394	446	568
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE									18,806	17,960	14,778
Income tax benefit									116	394	876
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries									18,922	18,354	15,654
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries									26,710	27,549	19,512
NET INCOME									45,632	45,903	35,166
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									$ 45,361	$ 44,541	$ 32,900