Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 30, 2013
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 788,283				$ 732,553				$ 788,283	$ 732,553
Total deposits	577,892				530,425				577,892	530,425
Interest income	7,844	$ 7,798	$ 7,071	$ 7,280	7,233	$ 7,191	$ 7,209	$ 7,151	29,993	28,784
Interest expense	1,686	1,636	1,591	1,571	1,614	1,623	1,622	1,625	6,484	6,484
Net Interest Income	6,158	6,162	5,480	5,709	5,619	5,568	5,587	5,526	23,509	22,300
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	634	(216)	(586)	(580)	(102)	(51)	(75)	(639)	(748)	(867)
Total non-interest Income	1,202	700	1,283	847	743	1,204	816	772	4,032	3,535
Noninterest Expense	5,427	5,365	5,737	5,375	6,136	5,375	5,031	5,322	21,904	21,864
Income tax (benefit) expense	(5,139)				(654)				(5,139)	(654)
Net Income	6,438	1,713	1,612	1,761	982	1,448	1,447	1,615	11,524	5,492
Noncontrolling interest	31	179	151	170	171	25	69	117	531	382
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ 6,407	$ 1,534	$ 1,461	$ 1,591	811	$ 1,423	$ 1,378	$ 1,498	10,993	5,110
Royal Bank [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.									$ 11,134	5,094
Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%								80.00%
Community Banking Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 774,258				712,508				$ 774,258	712,508
Total deposits	577,892				530,425				577,892	530,425
Interest income									29,379	27,484
Interest expense									5,689	5,401
Net Interest Income									23,690	22,083
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses									(846)	(1,328)
Total non-interest Income									2,902	2,639
Noninterest Expense									19,811	19,785
Income tax (benefit) expense									(5,139)	(654)
Net Income									12,766	6,919
Noncontrolling interest									602	548
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.									12,164	6,371
Tax Lien Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 14,025				$ 20,045				14,025	20,045
Interest income									614	1,300
Interest expense									795	1,083
Net Interest Income									(181)	217
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses									98	461
Total non-interest Income									1,130	896
Noninterest Expense									2,093	2,079
Net Income									(1,242)	(1,427)
Noncontrolling interest									(71)	(166)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.									$ (1,171)	(1,261)
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%								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%								100.00%		60.00%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income									$ 795	$ 1,100