DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Cash Flow Hedges Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) swap
Derivative [Line Items]
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) to be reclassified within twelve months	$ (985)
Interest rate swap \| Cash Flow Hedging
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, notional amount	$ 500,000
Unaffiliated Bank
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, number of swaps \| swap		2
Cash flow hedge gain (loss) to be reclassified within twelve months		$ (227)

Derivative, Number Of Swaps

No definition available.

Name:	htlf_DerivativeNumberOfSwaps
Namespace Prefix:	htlf_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The estimated net amount of existing gains or losses on cash flow hedges at the reporting date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12 months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480870/815-30-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of hedged item in hedging relationship. Excludes hedged asset or liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAmountOfHedgedItem
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 40
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (f)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480237/815-40-50-5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=htlf_UnaffiliatedBankMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: