General (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Notes to Financial Statements
Nature of Operations	Registrant, DSI Realty Income Fund VII (the "Partnership") is a publicly-held limited partnership organized under the California Uniform Limited Partnership Act pursuant to a Certificate and Agreement of Limited Partnership (hereinafter referred to as "Agreement") dated August 1, 1983. The General Partners are DSI Properties, Inc., a California corporation, and RJC Capital Management, LLC and JWC Capital Management, LLC. DSI Properties, Inc. is an affiliate of Diversified Securities, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DSI Financial, Inc. The General Partners provide similar services to other partnerships. Through its public offering of Limited Partnership Units, the Partnership sold twenty-four thousand (24,000) units of limited partnership interests, aggregating Twelve Million Dollars ($12,000,000). The General Partners have retained a one percent (1%) interest in all profits, losses and distributions (subject to certain conditions), without making any capital contribution to the Partnership. The General Partners are not required to make any capital contributions to the Partnership in the future. The Partnership owns mini-storage facilities located in Chico, Fairfield, La Verne, and Riverside, California and Littleton, Colorado. All facilities were purchased from Dahn Corporation ("Dahn"). Dahn is not affiliated with the Partnership. Dahn is affiliated with other partnerships in which DSI Properties, Inc. is a general partner.
Comparability to Prior Year Data	The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared by the Partnership's management in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Certain information and footnote disclosures required for annual financial statements have been condensed or excluded pursuant to SEC rules and regulations. Accordingly, the unaudited interim financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented. However, the results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Partnership's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.
Comprehensive Income	The Partnership has adopted Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income. For the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 comprehensive income equaled net income, as the Partnership had no other comprehensive income. As of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, accumulated other comprehensive income was $0.
Fair Value Disclosures	ASC 825-10 (formerly SFAS 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments”) defines financial instruments and requires disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments held by the Partnership. The Partnership considers the carrying amount of cash, accounts receivable, other receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, to approximate their fair values because of the short period of time between the origination of such instruments and their expected realization. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. The new guidance results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure about fair value between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. While many of the amendments to U.S. GAAP are not expected to have a significant effect on practice, the new guidance changes some fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. This new guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of the standard update does not have a significant impact on its financial position or results of operations.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue recognition - Revenue is recognized using the accrual method based on contractual amounts provided for in the lease agreements, which approximates recognition on a straight-line basis. The term of the lease agreements is usually less than one year.

The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared by the Partnership's management in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") and in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Certain information and footnote disclosures required for annual financial statements have been condensed or excluded pursuant to SEC rules and regulations. Accordingly, the unaudited interim financial statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal and recurring nature which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented. However, the results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Partnership's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

ASC 825-10 (formerly SFAS 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments”) defines financial instruments and requires disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments held by the Partnership. The Partnership considers the carrying amount of cash, accounts receivable, other receivables, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, to approximate their fair values because of the short period of time between the origination of such instruments and their expected realization.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. The new guidance results in a consistent definition of fair value and common requirements for measurement of and disclosure about fair value between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. While many of the amendments to U.S. GAAP are not expected to have a significant effect on practice, the new guidance changes some fair value measurement principles and disclosure requirements. This new guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of the standard update does not have a significant impact on its financial position or results of operations.