Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	60.00%		60.00%
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 727,212,000	$ 748,601,000	$ 727,212,000	$ 748,601,000	$ 732,254,000
Total deposits	526,917,000	525,670,000	526,917,000	525,670,000	528,964,000
Interest income	7,209,000	6,743,000	14,360,000	13,495,000
Interest expense	1,622,000	1,797,000	3,247,000	3,777,000
Net Interest Income	5,587,000	4,946,000	11,113,000	9,718,000
Credit for loan and lease losses	(75,000)	(163,000)	(714,000)	(414,000)
Total non-interest Income	816,000	961,000	1,588,000	2,369,000
Noninterest Expense	5,031,000	7,567,000	10,353,000	13,707,000
Net Income	1,447,000	(1,497,000)	3,062,000	(1,206,000)
Noncontrolling interest	69,000	(694,000)	187,000	(521,000)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	1,378,000	(803,000)	2,875,000	(685,000)
Royal Bank [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.			2,944,000
Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%	60.00%	80.00%	60.00%
Royal Bank [Member] | Royal Tax Lien [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)		60.00%		60.00%
Community Banking Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	704,313,000	717,315,000	704,313,000	717,315,000
Total deposits	526,917,000	525,670,000	526,917,000	525,670,000
Interest income	6,864,000	6,077,000	13,660,000	12,026,000
Interest expense	1,343,000	1,415,000	2,663,000	2,965,000
Net Interest Income	5,521,000	4,662,000	10,997,000	9,061,000
Credit for loan and lease losses	(95,000)	(431,000)	(832,000)	(741,000)
Total non-interest Income	466,000	550,000	1,032,000	1,712,000
Noninterest Expense	4,368,000	5,054,000	9,305,000	10,665,000
Net Income	1,714,000	589,000	3,556,000	849,000
Noncontrolling interest	111,000	140,000	268,000	301,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	1,603,000	449,000	3,288,000	548,000
Tax Lien Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	22,899,000	31,286,000	22,899,000	31,286,000
Interest income	345,000	666,000	700,000	1,469,000
Interest expense	279,000	382,000	584,000	812,000
Net Interest Income	66,000	284,000	116,000	657,000
Credit for loan and lease losses	20,000	268,000	118,000	327,000
Total non-interest Income	350,000	411,000	556,000	657,000
Noninterest Expense	663,000	2,513,000	1,048,000	3,042,000
Net Income	(267,000)	(2,086,000)	(494,000)	(2,055,000)
Noncontrolling interest	(42,000)	(834,000)	(81,000)	(822,000)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	(225,000)	(1,252,000)	(413,000)	(1,233,000)
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%	60.00%	80.00%	60.00%
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Royal Tax Lien [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	100.00%	60.00%	100.00%	60.00%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 279,000	$ 382,000	$ 584,000	$ 812,000