PARENT COMPANY CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION - INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income and expenses:
Interest income	$ 64,527	$ 68,059	$ 65,664	$ 82,633	$ 62,902	$ 61,090	$ 58,356	$ 73,833	$ 280,883	$ 256,181	$ 218,778
Other income									3,664	4,658	4,108
Less: Interest expense	10,132	12,573	11,718	10,334	8,626	8,057	7,272	6,168	44,757	30,123	20,258
Less: Other expenses									11,937	12,546	11,386
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	32,301	22,733	21,183	36,976	20,328	19,209	19,816	34,910	113,193	94,263	78,386
Income tax benefit	(6,533)	(4,325)	(3,176)	(7,460)	(3,022)	(1,798)	(4,150)	(7,441)	(21,494)	(16,411)	(32,754)
NET INCOME	$ 25,768	$ 18,408	$ 18,007	$ 29,516	$ 17,306	$ 17,411	$ 15,666	$ 27,469	91,699	77,852	45,632
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									95,794	76,439	45,361
Republic Bancorp, Inc.
Income and expenses:
Dividends from subsidiary									24,249	22,385	20,063
Interest income									250	231	186
Other income									54	45	45
Less: Interest expense									1,620	1,508	1,094
Less: Other expenses									511	469	394
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE									22,422	20,684	18,806
Income tax benefit									1,213	348	116
Income before equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries									23,635	21,032	18,922
Equity in undistributed net income of subsidiaries									68,064	56,820	26,710
NET INCOME									91,699	77,852	45,632
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									$ 95,794	$ 76,439	$ 45,361