Regulatory Capital (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Banking and Thrift [Abstract]

Schedule of Actual and Required Capital Amounts and Ratios

The Corporation's and Bank's actual and required capital ratios as of December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 were as follows:

					Prompt Corrective Action Thresholds
	Actual				Adequately Capitalized				Well Capitalized
December 31, 2015	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
Total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	783,776	14.94	%	$	419,809	8.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	739,793		13.98		423,242		8.00		$	529,052	10.00	%
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	656,323	12.51	%	$	314,857	6.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	677,340		12.80		317,431		6.00		$	423,242	8.00	%
Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	603,063	11.49	%	$	236,143	4.50	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	677,340		12.80		238,074		4.50		$	343,884	6.50	%
Tier 1 capital to average assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	656,323	10.85	%	$	242,001	4.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	677,340		11.22		241,423		4.00		$	301,779	5.00	%
					Prompt Corrective Action Thresholds
	Actual				Adequately Capitalized				Well Capitalized
December 31, 2014	Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio		Amount		Ratio
Total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	685,507	15.34	%	$	357,581	8.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	653,169		14.64		356,884		8.00		$	446,105	10.00	%
Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	564,535	12.63	%	$	178,791	4.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	597,305		13.39		178,442		4.00		$	267,663	6.00	%
Tier 1 capital to average assets
First Merchants Corporation	$	564,535	10.15	%	$	222,533	4.00	%	N/A		N/A
First Merchants Bank	597,305		10.56		226,339		4.00		$	282,953	5.00	%