Domestic and Foreign Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Domestic and Foreign Operations
Number of operating segments									4
Revenues:
Lease contracts	$ 127,428	$ 42,969	$ 42,414	$ 37,544	$ 37,611	$ 37,501	$ 37,193	$ 35,205	$ 250,355		$ 147,510		$ 138,664
Management contracts	88,939	49,226	44,372	47,964	42,169	43,259	42,343	45,954	230,501		173,725		171,331
Reimbursed management contract revenue	164,027	100,958	104,160	103,937	100,812	106,365	100,126	101,124	473,082		408,427		411,148
Total revenue	380,394	193,153	190,946	189,445	180,592	187,125	179,662	182,283	953,938		729,662		721,143
Gross profit
Lease contracts	9,142	2,861	4,414	2,157	2,951	3,452	2,907	1,706	18,574		11,016		10,051
Management contracts	31,045	18,513	20,301	18,693	18,922	20,143	19,562	17,912	88,552		76,539		74,419
Total gross profit	40,187	21,374	24,715	20,850	21,873	23,595	22,469	19,618	107,126		87,555		84,470
Gross Margin
General and administrative expenses	42,781	13,846	14,868	15,045	13,704	11,814	11,597	11,182	86,540	[1]	48,297	[1]	47,878	[1]
General and administrative expense percentage of gross profit									81.00%		55.00%		57.00%
Depreciation and amortization	8,255	1,723	1,807	1,728	1,725	1,683	1,677	1,533	13,513		6,618		6,074
Operating income	(10,849)	5,805	8,040	4,077	6,444	10,098	9,195	6,903	7,073		32,640		30,518
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense	5,261	1,093	1,132	1,130	1,145	1,197	1,180	1,169	8,616		4,691		5,335
Interest income	(116)	(61)	(50)	(70)	(67)	(41)	(59)	(60)	(297)		(227)		(218)
Total other expenses (income)	5,145	1,032	1,082	1,060	1,078	1,156	1,121	1,109	8,319		4,464		5,117
Income before income taxes	(15,994)	4,773	6,958	3,017	5,366	8,942	8,074	5,794	(1,246)		28,176		25,401
Income (loss) tax (benefit) expense	(10,140)	2,504	2,801	1,215	1,766	3,427	3,235	2,272	(3,620)		10,700		9,770
Net income	(5,854)	2,269	4,157	1,802	3,600	5,515	4,839	3,522	2,374		17,476		15,631
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	802	75	85	72	118	89	85	86	1,340		378		268
Net income attributable to Standard Parking Corporation	(6,656)	2,194	4,072	1,730	3,482	5,426	4,754	3,436	1,340		17,098		15,363
Region One
Revenues:
Lease contracts									133,559		71,896		66,786
Management contracts									65,768		50,152		44,455
Total parking services revenue									199,327		122,048		111,241
Gross profit
Lease contracts									7,144		5,318		4,591
Management contracts									32,256		27,110		25,334
Total gross profit									39,400		32,428		29,925
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									5.00%		7.00%		7.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									49.00%		38.00%		57.00%
Region Two
Revenues:
Lease contracts									1,425
Management contracts									21,604		9,178		14,817
Total parking services revenue									23,029		9,178		14,817
Gross profit
Lease contracts									78
Management contracts									3,775		1,928		3,241
Total gross profit									3,853		1,928		3,241
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									5.00%		0.00%		0.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									17.00%		21.00%		22.00%
Region Three
Revenues:
Lease contracts									30,729		20,396		17,558
Management contracts									59,218		53,835		53,214
Total parking services revenue									89,947		74,231		70,772
Gross profit
Lease contracts									2,303		1,916		1,546
Management contracts									23,235		23,210		24,296
Total gross profit									25,538		25,126		25,842
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									7.00%		9.00%		9.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									39.00%		43.00%		46.00%
Region Four
Revenues:
Lease contracts									42,986		39,522		39,433
Management contracts									61,454		47,490		45,007
Total parking services revenue									104,440		87,012		84,440
Gross profit
Lease contracts									1,680		2,743		2,961
Management contracts									16,801		15,156		14,448
Total gross profit									18,481		17,899		17,409
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									4.00%		7.00%		8.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									38.00%		32.00%		32.00%
Region Five
Revenues:
Lease contracts									41,749		15,676		14,843
Management contracts									22,261		12,059		12,955
Total parking services revenue									64,010		27,735		27,798
Gross profit
Lease contracts									4,885		948		677
Management contracts									8,127		6,462		6,065
Total gross profit									13,012		7,410		6,742
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									12.00%		6.00%		5.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									37.00%		54.00%		47.00%
Other
Revenues:
Lease contracts									(93)		20		44
Management contracts									196		1,011		883
Total parking services revenue									103		1,031		927
Gross profit
Lease contracts									2,504		91		276
Management contracts									4,338		2,673		1,035
Total gross profit									$ 6,842		$ 2,764		$ 1,311
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									(2692.00%)		455.00%		627.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									2213.00%		264.00%		117.00%

[1] Non-cash stock based compensation expense of $2,103, $2,451 and $2,310 for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, is included in general and administrative expenses.