CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 163,365,565	$ 180,720,661
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	134,777,113	151,314,039
Gross profit	28,588,452	29,406,622
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	24,182,407	21,927,264
Depreciation and amortization	7,180,089	6,991,010
Total operating expenses	31,362,496	28,918,274
Income (loss) from operations	(2,774,044)	488,348
Other income (expense):
Other income	920,197	659
Gain (loss) on sale of assets	(74,111)	45,553
Gain (loss) on change in value of derivative warrant liability	(487,524)	763,716
Interest expense	(3,070,071)	(3,281,855)
Total other expense	(2,711,509)	(2,471,927)
Loss before income taxes	(5,485,553)	(1,983,579)
Income tax benefit	0	0
Net loss	(5,485,553)	(1,983,579)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest and redeemable non-controlling interest	(436,974)	234,188
Net loss attributable to Vertex Energy, Inc.	(5,048,579)	(2,217,767)
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest to redemption value	(2,279,371)	0
Accretion of discount on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	2,489,722	3,132,414
Dividends on series B and B-1 Preferred Stock	(1,627,956)	(2,687,123)
Net loss available to common stockholders	$ (11,445,628)	$ (8,037,304)
Loss per common share
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.23)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.28)	$ (0.23)
Shares used in computing loss per share
Basic (in shares)	40,988,946	35,411,264
Diluted (in shares)	40,988,946	35,411,264