Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 811,368,000	$ 761,911,000	$ 811,368,000	$ 761,911,000	$ 788,283,000
Total deposits	592,239,000	553,764,000	592,239,000	553,764,000	$ 577,892,000
Interest income	8,460,000	7,798,000	24,855,000	22,149,000
Interest expense	1,902,000	1,636,000	5,389,000	4,798,000
Net Interest Income	6,558,000	6,162,000	19,466,000	17,351,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	578,000	(216,000)	987,000	(1,382,000)
Total non-interest Income	1,189,000	577,000	3,469,000	2,061,000
Noninterest Expense	5,001,000	5,242,000	15,268,000	15,708,000
Income tax (benefit) expense	25,000	0	85,000	0
Net Income	2,143,000	1,713,000	6,595,000	5,086,000
Noncontrolling interest	113,000	179,000	342,000	500,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ 2,030,000	1,534,000	6,253,000	4,586,000
Royal Bank [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.			$ 5,970,000
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	$ 798,996,000	745,853,000	$ 798,996,000	745,853,000
Total deposits	592,239,000	553,764,000	592,239,000	553,764,000
Interest income	8,417,000	7,625,000	24,663,000	21,642,000
Interest expense	1,752,000	1,447,000	4,932,000	4,169,000
Net Interest Income	6,665,000	6,178,000	19,731,000	17,473,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	549,000	(254,000)	924,000	(1,451,000)
Total non-interest Income	1,177,000	503,000	3,422,000	1,863,000
Noninterest Expense	4,842,000	4,897,000	14,455,000	14,819,000
Income tax (benefit) expense	25,000		85,000	0
Net Income	2,426,000	2,038,000	7,688,000	5,968,000
Noncontrolling interest	125,000	179,000	394,000	551,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	2,301,000	1,859,000	7,294,000	5,417,000
Tax Lien Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	12,372,000	16,058,000	12,372,000	16,058,000
Total deposits	0	0	0	0
Interest income	43,000	173,000	192,000	507,000
Interest expense	150,000	189,000	457,000	629,000
Net Interest Income	(107,000)	(16,000)	(265,000)	(122,000)
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	29,000	38,000	63,000	69,000
Total non-interest Income	12,000	74,000	47,000	198,000
Noninterest Expense	159,000	345,000	813,000	889,000
Income tax (benefit) expense			0	0
Net Income	(283,000)	(325,000)	(1,093,000)	(882,000)
Noncontrolling interest	(12,000)	0	(52,000)	(51,000)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ (271,000)	(325,000)	$ (1,041,000)	(831,000)
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%
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%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 150,000	$ 189,000	$ 457,000	$ 629,000