Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Fulton Financial Corporation (the "Corporation") have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements as well as revenues and expenses during the period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. The Corporation evaluates subsequent events through the date of filing of this Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	Recently Adopted Accounting Standards The Corporation adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standard Codification ("ASC") Update 2016-09, "Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" effective January 1, 2017. This standards update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liability, and classification on the statement of cash flows. ASC Update 2016-09 was effective for interim and annual reporting periods that began after December 15, 2016 with early application permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update was effective with this March 31, 2017 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The adoption of ASC Update 2016-09 did not have a material impact on the Corporation's consolidated financial statements. Recently Issued Accounting Standards In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." This standards update establishes a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle prescribed by this standards update is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard applies to all contracts with customers, except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB ASC. The standard also requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. During 2016, the FASB issued amendments to this standard (ASC Updates 2016-08, 2016-10, 2016-11 and 2016-12). These amendments provide further clarification to the standard. For public business entities, ASC Update 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is not permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update is effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2014-09 on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." ASC Update 2016-01 provides guidance regarding the income statement impact of equity investments held by an entity and the recognition of changes in fair value of financial liabilities when the fair value option is elected.This standard will require equity investments to be measured at fair value, with changes recorded in net income. ASC Update 2016-01 is effective for public business entities' annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with earlier adoption permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-02, "Leases." This standards update states that a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The core principle requires the lessee to recognize a liability to make lease payments and a "right-of-use" asset. The accounting applied by the lessor is relatively unchanged. The standards update also requires expanded qualitative and quantitative disclosures. For public business entities, ASC Update 2016-02 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. ASC Update 2016-02 mandates a modified retrospective transition for all entities, which requires restatement of all comparative periods in the year of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update is effective with its March 31, 2019 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements. The Corporation currently operates a number of branches that are leased, with the leases accounted for as operating leases that are not recognized on the consolidated balance sheet. Under ASC Update 2016-02, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities will need to be recognized on the consolidated balance sheet for these branches. This is expected to be the most significant impact of the adoption of this standards update. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses." The new impairment model prescribed by this standards update is a single impairment model for all financial assets (i.e., loans and investments). The recognition of credit losses would be based on an entity’s current estimate of expected losses (referred to as the Current Expected Credit Loss model, or "CECL"), as opposed to recognition of losses only when they are probable under current U.S. GAAP. ASC Update 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2020 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-15, "Statement of Cash Flows - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments." This standards update provides guidance regarding the presentation of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows, addressing eight specific cash flow classification issues, in order to reduce existing diversity in practice. ASC Update 2016-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-15 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows - Restricted Cash." This standards update provides guidance regarding the presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. The update requires companies to include amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, along with cash and cash equivalents, when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. It also requires an entity to disclose the nature of the restrictions on cash and cash equivalents. ASC Update 2016-18 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-18 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other." This standards update eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test which measures the impairment amount. Identifying and measuring impairment will take place in a single quantitative step. In addition, no separate qualitative assessment for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amount is required. Entities must disclose the existence of these reporting units and the amount of goodwill allocated to them. This update should be applied on a prospective basis and an entity is required to disclose the nature of and reason for the change in accounting principle upon transition. ASC Update 2017-04 is effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests in reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its 2020 goodwill impairment test and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2017-04 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-07, "Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Costs and Net Periodic Benefit Cost." This standards update requires a company to present service cost separately from the other components of net benefit cost. In addition, the update provides explicit guidance on how to present the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the income statement and allow only the service cost component of net benefit cost to be eligible for capitalization. ASC Update 2017-07 is effective for annual or interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2017-07 on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-08, "Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities." This standards update requires that a company amortize the premium on callable debt securities to the earliest call date versus current U.S. GAAP which requires amortization over the contractual life of the securities. The amortization period for callable debt securities purchased at a discount would not be impacted by the new accounting standards update. This amendment is to be adopted on a modified retrospective basis with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. ASC Update 2017-08 is effective for annual or interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2019 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2017-08 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

The Corporation adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standard Codification ("ASC") Update 2016-09, "Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" effective January 1, 2017. This standards update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liability, and classification on the statement of cash flows. ASC Update 2016-09 was effective for interim and annual reporting periods that began after December 15, 2016 with early application permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update was effective with this March 31, 2017 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The adoption of ASC Update 2016-09 did not have a material impact on the Corporation's consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASC Update 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." This standards update establishes a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle prescribed by this standards update is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard applies to all contracts with customers, except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB ASC. The standard also requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. During 2016, the FASB issued amendments to this standard (ASC Updates 2016-08, 2016-10, 2016-11 and 2016-12). These amendments provide further clarification to the standard. For public business entities, ASC Update 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is not permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update is effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2014-09 on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." ASC Update 2016-01 provides guidance regarding the income statement impact of equity investments held by an entity and the recognition of changes in fair value of financial liabilities when the fair value option is elected.This standard will require equity investments to be measured at fair value, with changes recorded in net income. ASC Update 2016-01 is effective for public business entities' annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with earlier adoption permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-02, "Leases." This standards update states that a lessee should recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from all leases with a term greater than 12 months. The core principle requires the lessee to recognize a liability to make lease payments and a "right-of-use" asset. The accounting applied by the lessor is relatively unchanged. The standards update also requires expanded qualitative and quantitative disclosures. For public business entities, ASC Update 2016-02 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. ASC Update 2016-02 mandates a modified retrospective transition for all entities, which requires restatement of all comparative periods in the year of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. For the Corporation, this standards update is effective with its March 31, 2019 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements. The Corporation currently operates a number of branches that are leased, with the leases accounted for as operating leases that are not recognized on the consolidated balance sheet. Under ASC Update 2016-02, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities will need to be recognized on the consolidated balance sheet for these branches. This is expected to be the most significant impact of the adoption of this standards update.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses." The new impairment model prescribed by this standards update is a single impairment model for all financial assets (i.e., loans and investments). The recognition of credit losses would be based on an entity’s current estimate of expected losses (referred to as the Current Expected Credit Loss model, or "CECL"), as opposed to recognition of losses only when they are probable under current U.S. GAAP. ASC Update 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2020 quarterly report on Form 10-Q. The Corporation is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-15, "Statement of Cash Flows - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments." This standards update provides guidance regarding the presentation of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows, addressing eight specific cash flow classification issues, in order to reduce existing diversity in practice. ASC Update 2016-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-15 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows - Restricted Cash." This standards update provides guidance regarding the presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. The update requires companies to include amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents, along with cash and cash equivalents, when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. It also requires an entity to disclose the nature of the restrictions on cash and cash equivalents. ASC Update 2016-18 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2016-18 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other." This standards update eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test which measures the impairment amount. Identifying and measuring impairment will take place in a single quantitative step. In addition, no separate qualitative assessment for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amount is required. Entities must disclose the existence of these reporting units and the amount of goodwill allocated to them. This update should be applied on a prospective basis and an entity is required to disclose the nature of and reason for the change in accounting principle upon transition. ASC Update 2017-04 is effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests in reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its 2020 goodwill impairment test and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2017-04 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-07, "Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Costs and Net Periodic Benefit Cost." This standards update requires a company to present service cost separately from the other components of net benefit cost. In addition, the update provides explicit guidance on how to present the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the income statement and allow only the service cost component of net benefit cost to be eligible for capitalization. ASC Update 2017-07 is effective for annual or interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2018 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASC Update 2017-07 on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASC Update 2017-08, "Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities." This standards update requires that a company amortize the premium on callable debt securities to the earliest call date versus current U.S. GAAP which requires amortization over the contractual life of the securities. The amortization period for callable debt securities purchased at a discount would not be impacted by the new accounting standards update. This amendment is to be adopted on a modified retrospective basis with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. ASC Update 2017-08 is effective for annual or interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Corporation intends to adopt this standards update effective with its March 31, 2019 quarterly report on Form 10-Q and does not expect the adoption of ASC Update 2017-08 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.