CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,701,435	$ 765,364
Escrow - current restricted cash	1,504,723	0
Accounts receivable, net	10,952,219	6,315,414
Inventory	4,357,958	3,548,311
Prepaid expenses	2,669,117	1,367,442
Assets being held for sale	0	11,170,243
Total current assets	21,185,452	23,166,774
Non-current assets
Fixed assets, at cost	62,316,808	60,846,824
Less accumulated depreciation	(12,286,874)	(7,818,217)
Net fixed assets	50,029,934	53,028,607
Intangible assets, net	15,252,332	16,967,985
Other assets	518,250	481,450
Total non-current assets	65,800,516	70,478,042
TOTAL ASSETS	86,985,968	93,644,816
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	9,440,696	13,244,388
Dividends payable	504,474	376,571
Capital leases	133,153	186,948
Current portion of long-term debt, net of unamortized finance costs	9,649,282	17,789,491
Revolving note	2,726,039	1,744,122
Deferred revenue	0	323,891
Total current liabilities	22,453,644	33,665,411
Long-term liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized finance costs	1,848,111	5,539,659
Derivative liability	4,365,992	1,548,604
Total liabilities	28,667,747	40,753,674
Commitments and Contingencies	0	0
EQUITY
Common stock, $0.001 par value per share; 750,000,000 shares authorized; 33,151,391 and 28,239,276 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, with 1,108,928 shares held in escrow at December 31, 2016.	33,151	28,239
Additional paid-in capital	69,051,124	53,014,054
Accumulated deficit	(27,958,578)	(12,106,971)
Total Vertex Energy, Inc. stockholders' equity	41,126,222	40,935,935
Non-controlling interest	103,897	0
Total Equity	41,230,119	40,935,935
TOTAL LIABILITIES, TEMPORARY EQUITY AND EQUITY	86,985,968	93,644,816
Series B Preferred Stock
Long-term liabilities
Derivative liability	1,952,565	1,548,604
TEMPORARY EQUITY
Series B and B-1 preferred shares	3,331,918	11,955,207
Series B-1 Preferred Stock
Long-term liabilities
Derivative liability	2,413,427
TEMPORARY EQUITY
Series B and B-1 preferred shares	13,756,184	0
Series A Preferred Stock
EQUITY
Preferred stock, 50,000,000 shares authorized, Series A Convertible Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 authorized and 612,943 and 630,419 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, with a liquidation preference of $913,285 and $939,324 at December 2015 and December 2014, respectively	493	$ 613
Series C Preferred Stock
EQUITY
Preferred stock, 50,000,000 shares authorized, Series A Convertible Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 5,000,000 authorized and 612,943 and 630,419 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, with a liquidation preference of $913,285 and $939,324 at December 2015 and December 2014, respectively	$ 32