Note 13 - Stockholder Rights Plan	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Common Stock Rights Plan [Text Block]	13. Stockholder Rights Plan On December 20, 2011, we entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) with Mellon Investor Services LLC. The Rights Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Company’s rights agreement, which has been effective since December 31, 2001 (as in effect prior to December 20, 2011, the “Original Rights Agreement”). Under the Original Rights Agreement, one preferred stock purchase right was granted for each share of outstanding common stock of Standard Pacific payable to holders of record on December 31, 2001, and all subsequently issued shares of our common stock. Each right entitles the holder, in certain situations where a person acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our common stock, as described in the Rights Agreement, and upon paying the exercise price (currently $20.00), to purchase common stock or other securities having a market value equal to two times the exercise price. Also, after any such acquisition of 15% of our common stock, if we merge with another corporation, or if 50% or more of our assets are sold, the rights holders may be entitled, upon payment of the exercise price, to buy common shares of the acquiring party at a 50% discount from the then-current market value. In either situation, the rights are not exercisable by the acquiring party. Until the occurrence of certain events described in the Rights Agreement, the rights may be terminated at any time or redeemed at the rate of $0.001 per right and the Rights Agreement amended by Standard Pacific’s Board of Directors including, if it believes a proposed acquisition to be in the best interests of our stockholders. As provided in the Original Rights Agreement, under the Rights Agreement, MP CA Homes, LLC and its affiliates generally will not be deemed an acquiring party under the Rights Agreement. The rights will expire on December 31, 2014, unless earlier terminated, redeemed or exchanged. Initially the rights trade with our common stock and are not exercisable, however, if the rights are separated from the common shares, the rights expire three years from the date of such separation.

On December 20, 2011, we entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) with Mellon Investor Services LLC. The Rights Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Company’s rights agreement, which has been effective since December 31, 2001 (as in effect prior to December 20, 2011, the “Original Rights Agreement”). Under the Original Rights Agreement, one preferred stock purchase right was granted for each share of outstanding common stock of Standard Pacific payable to holders of record on December 31, 2001, and all subsequently issued shares of our common stock. Each right entitles the holder, in certain situations where a person acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our common stock, as described in the Rights Agreement, and upon paying the exercise price (currently $20.00), to purchase common stock or other securities having a market value equal to two times the exercise price. Also, after any such acquisition of 15% of our common stock, if we merge with another corporation, or if 50% or more of our assets are sold, the rights holders may be entitled, upon payment of the exercise price, to buy common shares of the acquiring party at a 50% discount from the then-current market value. In either situation, the rights are not exercisable by the acquiring party. Until the occurrence of certain events described in the Rights Agreement, the rights may be terminated at any time or redeemed at the rate of $0.001 per right and the Rights Agreement amended by Standard Pacific’s Board of Directors including, if it believes a proposed acquisition to be in the best interests of our stockholders. As provided in the Original Rights Agreement, under the Rights Agreement, MP CA Homes, LLC and its affiliates generally will not be deemed an acquiring party under the Rights Agreement. The rights will expire on December 31, 2014, unless earlier terminated, redeemed or exchanged. Initially the rights trade with our common stock and are not exercisable, however, if the rights are separated from the common shares, the rights expire three years from the date of such separation.