ACQUISITIONS (Details 2) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 258,904,867	$ 161,967,252	$ 134,573,243
Income from operations	(10,494,621)	7,051,203	2,391,250
Net income (loss)	(5,871,642)	8,311,432	3,658,267
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	325,399	(431,962)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(5,546,243)	7,879,470	3,658,267
Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.44	$ 0.30
Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.39	$ 0.25
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Earnings (loss) per common share-Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.44
Earnings (loss) per common share-Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.39
Omega Refining
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenue	297,530,020	301,996,638
Income from operations	(9,690,082)	4,629,228
Net income (loss)	(5,264,085)	1,264,292
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests	325,399	(431,962)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(4,938,686)	832,330
Earnings (loss) per common share-Basic (in USD per share)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.05
Earnings (loss) per common share-Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (0.21)	$ 0.04
Heartland Group Holdings, LLC
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenue	285,858,265	193,815,354
Income from operations	(15,458,159)	2,067,549
Net income (loss)	(50,992,328)	1,338,672
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests	325,399	(431,962)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	$ (50,666,929)	$ 906,710
Earnings (loss) per common share-Basic (in USD per share)	$ (2.13)	$ 0.02
Earnings (loss) per common share-Diluted (in USD per share)	$ (2.13)	$ 0.04