CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 47,349,658	$ 33,254,801
Cost of revenues	42,205,170	29,785,043
Gross profit	5,144,488	3,469,758
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of acquisition related expenses)	3,587,489	2,221,492
Acquisition related expenses	600,412	36,592
Total selling, general and administrative expenses	4,187,901	2,258,084
Income from operations	956,587	1,211,674
Other income (expense)
Other income	370	25,289
Other expense	0	(40,726)
Interest expense	(75,811)	(106,140)
Total other (expense)	(75,441)	(121,577)
Income before income tax	881,146	1,090,097
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	(6,502)
Net income	881,146	1,083,595
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(18,981)	0
Net income attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	$ 862,165	$ 1,083,595
Earnings per common share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.06
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.05
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic (shares)	21,232,949	17,079,242
Diluted (shares)	23,738,018	20,139,182