Regulatory and Capital Requirements - Schedule of Actual Capital Positions and Ratios under Banking Regulations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount		$ 1,910,304	[1]	$ 1,547,753
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, Amount	[1]	1,431,973
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount		1,543,937	[1]	1,318,466
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount		$ 1,543,937	[1]	$ 1,318,466
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio		12.00%	[1]	11.40%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, Ratio	[1]	9.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio		9.70%	[1]	9.70%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio		7.90%	[1]	7.50%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		$ 1,271,171	[1]	$ 1,084,479
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital	[1]	715,034
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		953,378	[1]	542,240
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		$ 781,388	[1]	$ 707,082
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		8.00%	[1]	8.00%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	[1]	4.50%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		6.00%	[1]	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		4.00%	[1]	4.00%
Valley National Bank [Member]
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount		$ 1,826,420	[1]	$ 1,481,184
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, Amount	[1]	1,618,053
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount		1,618,053	[1]	1,376,897
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount		$ 1,618,053	[1]	$ 1,376,897
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio		11.50%	[1]	10.90%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital, Ratio	[1]	10.20%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio		10.20%	[1]	10.20%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio		8.30%	[1]	7.80%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		$ 1,266,942	[1]	$ 1,083,516
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital	[1]	712,655
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		950,206	[1]	541,758
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount		$ 780,831	[1]	$ 706,992
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		8.00%	[1]	8.00%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	[1]	4.50%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		6.00%	[1]	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio		4.00%	[1]	4.00%
Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount		$ 1,583,677	[1]	$ 1,354,395
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	[1]	1,029,390
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount		1,266,942	[1]	813,637
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount		$ 976,039	[1]	$ 883,740
Risk-based capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio		10.00%	[1]	10.00%
Common Equity Tier 1 Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	[1]	6.50%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio		8.00%	[1]	6.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio		5.00%	[1]	5.00%

[1] December 31, 2015 capital positions and ratios were calculated under Basel III rules which became effective January 1, 2015.