Unaudited Quarterly Results (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, 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		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Oct. 02, 2012
Parking services revenue:
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
Cost of parking services:
Lease contracts	116,262	115,696	112,014	112,118	118,286	40,108	38,000	35,387	456,090		231,781		136,494
Management contracts	51,480	44,680	53,833	58,737	57,894	30,713	24,071	29,271	208,730		141,949		97,186
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 cost of parking services	324,883	315,234	324,249	330,332	340,207	171,779	166,231	168,595	1,294,698		846,812		642,107
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
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]
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 expense (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 (reversal)	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 (loss) 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
Net income per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ 0.17	$ 0.16	$ (0.01)	$ (0.30)	$ 0.14	$ 0.26	$ 0.11	$ 0.55		$ 0.08		$ 1.09
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.23	$ 0.17	$ 0.15	$ (0.01)	$ (0.30)	$ 0.14	$ 0.26	$ 0.11	$ 0.54		$ 0.08		$ 1.07
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	21,938,377	21,911,574	21,889,777	21,870,771	21,836,583	15,668,129	15,665,263	15,563,914	21,902,870		17,179,606		15,703,595
Diluted (in shares)	22,319,723	22,285,723	22,221,102	21,870,771	21,836,583	15,928,685	15,900,659	15,820,118	22,249,584		17,490,204		16,047,879
Common stock, shares issued in conjunction with the Central Merger	21,977,311				21,870,770				21,977,311		21,870,770				6,161,332

[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.