PARENT COMPANY CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION - CASH FLOWS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Net income	$ 45,632	$ 45,903	$ 35,166
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Accretion of Investment security	245	503	729
Director deferred compensation - Parent Company	191	170	223
Change in other assets	730	(7,227)	(2,785)
Change in other liabilities	2,850	540	5,473
Net cash provided by operating activities	77,777	47,672	50,046
Investing activities:
Acquisition of Cornerstone Bancorp, Inc.		9,088
Purchases of securities available for sale	(225,212)	(419,254)	(1,512,809)
Net cash used in investing activities	(287,113)	(296,134)	(358,208)
Financing activities:
Payoff of subordinated note, net of common security interest		(4,000)
Common Stock repurchases	(1,048)	(1,207)	(551)
Net proceeds from Common Stock options exercised	68	80	1,136
Cash dividends paid	(17,656)	(16,768)	(15,839)
Net cash provided by financing activities	219,378	327,689	445,366
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	10,042	79,227	137,204
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD	289,309	210,082	72,878
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	299,351	289,309	210,082
Republic Bancorp, Inc.
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Net income	45,632	45,903	35,166
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Accretion of Investment security	(44)	(44)	(4)
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries	(26,710)	(27,549)	(19,512)
Director deferred compensation - Parent Company	108	103	108
Change in other assets	1,215	(1,366)	1,853
Change in other liabilities	1,623	(313)	201
Net cash provided by operating activities	21,824	16,734	17,812
Investing activities:
Acquisition of Cornerstone Bancorp, Inc.		31,795
Purchases of securities available for sale			(3,401)
Net cash used in investing activities		(31,795)	(3,401)
Financing activities:
Payoff of subordinated note, net of common security interest		(4,000)
Common Stock repurchases	(1,048)	(1,207)	(551)
Net proceeds from Common Stock options exercised	68	80	1,136
Cash dividends paid	(17,656)	(16,768)	(15,839)
Net cash provided by financing activities	(18,636)	(21,895)	(15,254)
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	3,188	(36,956)	(843)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD	95,755	132,711	133,554
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD	$ 98,943	$ 95,755	$ 132,711