Domestic and Foreign Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 segment		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Domestic and Foreign Operations
Number of operating segments									4
Revenues:
Lease contracts	$ 122,487	$ 122,771	$ 123,232	$ 121,085	$ 127,428	$ 42,969	$ 42,414	$ 37,544	$ 489,575		$ 250,355		$ 147,510
Management contracts	90,911	77,681	88,659	90,095	88,939	49,226	44,372	47,964	347,346		230,501		173,725
Reimbursed management contract revenue	157,141	154,858	158,402	159,477	164,027	100,958	104,160	103,937	629,878		473,082		408,427
Total revenue	370,539	355,310	370,293	370,657	380,394	193,153	190,946	189,445	1,466,799		953,938		729,662
Gross profit
Lease contracts	6,225	7,075	11,218	8,967	9,142	2,861	4,414	2,157	33,485		18,574		11,016
Management contracts	39,431	33,001	34,826	31,358	31,045	18,513	20,301	18,693	138,616		88,552		76,539
Total gross profit	45,656	40,076	46,044	40,325	40,187	21,374	24,715	20,850	172,101		107,126		87,555
Gross Margin
General and administrative expenses	23,621	20,494	26,868	27,948	42,781	13,846	14,868	15,045	98,931	[1]	86,540	[1]	48,297	[1]
General and administrative expense percentage of gross profit									57.00%		81.00%		55.00%
Depreciation and amortization	7,489	7,959	8,252	7,493	8,255	1,723	1,807	1,728	31,193		13,513		6,618
Operating income	14,546	11,623	10,924	4,884	(10,849)	5,805	8,040	4,077	41,977		7,073		32,640
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense	4,613	4,818	4,763	4,840	5,261	1,093	1,132	1,130	19,034		8,616		4,691
Interest income	(296)	(108)	(128)	(111)	(116)	(61)	(50)	(70)	(643)		(297)		(227)
Total other expenses (income)	4,317	4,710	4,635	4,729	5,145	1,032	1,082	1,060	18,391		8,319		4,464
Income (loss) before income taxes	10,229	6,913	6,289	155	(15,994)	4,773	6,958	3,017	23,586		(1,246)		28,176
Income tax expense (benefit)	4,462	2,448	2,065	(154)	(10,140)	2,504	2,801	1,215	8,821		(3,620)		10,700
Net income	5,767	4,465	4,224	309	(5,854)	2,269	4,157	1,802	14,765		2,374		17,476
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	606	721	780	569	802	75	85	72	2,676		1,034		378
Net income attributable to SP Plus Corporation	5,161	3,744	3,444	(260)	(6,656)	2,194	4,072	1,730	12,089		1,340		17,098
Region One
Business Unit Segment Information
Number of Canadian provinces included in region one									3
Operating segment | Region One
Revenues:
Lease contracts									299,280		134,851		73,657
Management contracts									109,846		69,144		53,647
Total parking services revenue									409,126		203,995		127,304
Gross profit
Lease contracts									12,291		5,617		5,366
Management contracts									50,987		32,612		28,308
Total gross profit									63,278		38,229		33,674
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									4.00%		4.00%		7.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									46.00%		47.00%		53.00%
Operating segment | Region Two
Revenues:
Lease contracts									4,418		1,425
Management contracts									31,213		21,599		9,178
Total parking services revenue									35,631		23,024		9,178
Gross profit
Lease contracts									162		51
Management contracts									9,810		3,772		1,928
Total gross profit									9,972		3,823		1,928
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									4.00%		4.00%		0.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									31.00%		17.00%		21.00%
Operating segment | Region Three
Revenues:
Lease contracts									46,281		27,116		17,373
Management contracts									63,673		51,313		46,103
Total parking services revenue									109,954		78,429		63,476
Gross profit
Lease contracts									3,643		2,245		1,667
Management contracts									26,001		20,760		20,664
Total gross profit									29,643		23,005		22,331
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									8.00%		8.00%		10.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									41.00%		40.00%		45.00%
Operating segment | Region Four
Revenues:
Lease contracts									43,532		42,986		39,522
Management contracts									99,841		61,454		47,491
Total parking services revenue									143,373		104,440		87,013
Gross profit
Lease contracts									3,024		2,918		2,743
Management contracts									26,534		16,820		14,813
Total gross profit									29,558		19,738		17,556
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									7.00%		7.00%		7.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									27.00%		27.00%		31.00%
Operating segment | Region Five
Revenues:
Lease contracts									94,663		44,070		16,939
Management contracts									42,410		26,796		16,297
Total parking services revenue									137,073		70,866		33,236
Gross profit
Lease contracts									15,626		5,242		1,150
Management contracts									20,737		10,249		8,108
Total gross profit									36,362		15,491		9,258
Gross Margin
Lease contracts (as a percent)									17.00%		12.00%		7.00%
Management contracts (as a percent)									49.00%		38.00%		50.00%
Operating segment | Other
Revenues:
Lease contracts									1,400		(93)		18
Management contracts									364		195		1,010
Total parking services revenue									1,764		102		1,028
Gross profit
Lease contracts									(1,261)		2,502		135
Management contracts									4,547		4,338		2,673
Total gross profit									$ 3,287		$ 6,840		$ 2,808

[1] Non cash stock based compensation expense of $4,227, $2,103 and $2,451 for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, is included in general and administrative expenses.