STOCK BASED COMPENSATION PLANS (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Apr. 28, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Executive officers item	Jun. 30, 2014 Independent directors	Jun. 30, 2014 Independent directors	Apr. 28, 2014 Independent directors	Apr. 28, 2014 PMC Commercial 2005 Equity Incentive Plan	Mar. 11, 2014 PMC Commercial Board of directors	Jun. 30, 2014 Restricted shares	May 06, 2014 Restricted shares Executive officers item	Jun. 30, 2014 Restricted shares Executive officers	Jun. 30, 2014 Restricted shares Executive officers	Jun. 30, 2014 Restricted shares Executive officers Employment Agreements	Jun. 30, 2014 Restricted shares Executive officers Employment Agreements item	Apr. 28, 2014 Restricted shares Maximum Executive officers	Jun. 12, 2014 Options	Jun. 30, 2014 Options	Jun. 30, 2014 Options	Mar. 11, 2014 Options
Share-based compensation plans
Options outstanding (in shares)																				19,700
Exercise of stock options (in shares)																			14,500
Exercise of stock options	$ 201,000																		$ 201,000
Options granted (in shares)																	11,850
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options (in dollars per share)																	$ 23.16
Assumptions
Expected term																			3 years
Risk-free interest rate (as a percent)																			0.94%
Expected dividend yield (as a percent)																			3.78%
Expected volatility (as a percent)																			9.37%
Expected forfeiture rate (as a percent)																			1.00%
Stock-based compensation expense					31,000	31,000						19,000	19,000	315,000	315,000			8,000	8,000
Common shares authorized before amendment (in shares)		100,000,000						100,000
Common shares, authorized shares	200,000,000	1,000,000,000	20,000,000					300,000
Increase in annual limitation (in shares)							100,000									4,000
Granted (in shares)									6,000		2,000
Award granted to each independent members of the board of directors									2,000
Number of executive officers											2
Award vesting period											2 years
Percentage of award vesting immediately and at the end of each of the next two years											33.00%
Number of employees covered under employment agreement				2											2
Share awards to be granted as retention bonus under employment agreement, adjusted for the reverse stock split													105,000		105,000
Unrecognized compensation expense										$ 2,017,000
Recognition period										2 years