Regulatory and Capital Requirements - Schedule of Actual Capital Positions and Ratios under Banking Regulations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	$ 1,413,901	$ 1,301,638
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,241,316	1,113,422
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount	1,241,316	1,113,422
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	12.40%	12.60%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	10.90%	10.80%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio	8.10%	8.00%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	913,402	824,365
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	456,701	412,183
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	613,471	557,210
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	8.00%	8.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	10.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	6.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	5.00%
Valley National Bank [Member]
Compliance with Regulatory Capital Requirements under Banking Regulations [Line Items]
Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,374,059	1,244,407
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Amount	1,201,499	1,056,191
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Amount	1,201,499	1,056,191
Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	12.10%	12.10%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Actual, Ratio	10.50%	10.30%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Actual, Ratio	7.80%	7.60%
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	912,179	819,942
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	456,090	409,971
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Amount	612,636	555,785
Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	8.00%	8.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital Minimum Capital Requirements, Ratio	4.00%	4.00%
Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	1,140,224	1,024,928
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	684,134	614,957
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Amount	$ 765,795	$ 694,731
Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	10.00%	10.00%
Tier 1 Risk-based Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	6.00%	6.00%
Tier 1 Leverage Capital To Be Well Capitalized Under Prompt Corrective Action Provision, Ratio	5.00%	5.00%