SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 773,716				$ 848,448				$ 773,716	$ 848,448	$ 980,626
Total deposits	554,917				575,916				554,917	575,916	693,913
Interest income	6,991	7,761	8,423	8,806	8,754	10,049	10,000	10,574	31,981	39,377	57,262
Interest expense									9,899	14,086	25,994
Net Interest Income	4,801	5,382	5,906	5,993	5,744	6,832	6,160	6,555	22,082	25,291	31,268
Provision for loan and lease losses	2,637	1,761	1,515	84	2,160	428	3,056	2,084	5,997	7,728	22,140
Total other income	(148)	1,151	1,945	661	2,594	73	2,787	1,364	3,609	6,818	7,765
Total other expenses									36,324	32,069	36,591
Impairment of real estate joint venture									0	0	1,552
Impairment -real estate owned via equity investment									0	0	2,600
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Net Loss	(8,240)	(4,637)	(2,256)	(1,497)	(1,028)	(1,632)	(3,894)	(1,134)	(16,630)	(7,688)	(23,850)
Noncontrolling interest	(246)	175	(306)	(628)	(94)	261	331	377	(1,005)	875	243
Net loss attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylavania, Inc.					(934)	(1,893)	(4,225)	(1,511)	(15,625)	(8,563)	(24,093)
Community Banking [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	736,398				777,561				736,398	777,561	880,025
Total deposits	554,917				575,916				554,917	575,916	693,913
Interest income									26,956	31,882	47,000
Interest expense									7,202	11,624	22,557
Net Interest Income									19,754	20,258	24,443
Provision for loan and lease losses									5,177	6,644	22,011
Total other income									2,868	6,270	7,376
Total other expenses									31,118	30,365	34,598
Impairment of real estate joint venture											1,552
Impairment -real estate owned via equity investment											2,600
Income tax expense (benefit)									(28)	(1,086)	(2,068)
Net Loss									(13,645)	(9,396)	(26,874)
Noncontrolling interest									189	192	(967)
Net loss attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylavania, Inc.									(13,834)	(9,588)	(25,907)
Tax Lien Operation [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	37,318				70,887				37,318	70,887	100,601
Total deposits	0				0				0	0	0
Interest income									5,025	7,495	10,262
Interest expense									2,697	2,462	3,437
Net Interest Income									2,328	5,033	6,825
Provision for loan and lease losses									820	1,084	129
Total other income									741	548	389
Total other expenses									5,206	1,704	1,993
Impairment of real estate joint venture											0
Impairment -real estate owned via equity investment											0
Income tax expense (benefit)									28	1,086	2,068
Net Loss									(2,985)	1,708	3,024
Noncontrolling interest									(1,194)	683	1,210
Net loss attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylavania, Inc.									(1,791)	1,025	1,814
Tax Lien Operation Interest [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income									$ 2,700	$ 2,500	$ 3,400