SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY RESULTS (UNAUDITED) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 Property	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
Summary of the consolidated results of operations on a quarterly basis [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 6,991,000	$ 7,761,000	$ 8,423,000	$ 8,806,000	$ 8,754,000	$ 10,049,000	$ 10,000,000	$ 10,574,000	$ 31,981,000	$ 39,377,000	$ 57,262,000
Net interest income	4,801,000	5,382,000	5,906,000	5,993,000	5,744,000	6,832,000	6,160,000	6,555,000	22,082,000	25,291,000	31,268,000
Provision for loan and lease losses	2,637,000	1,761,000	1,515,000	84,000	2,160,000	428,000	3,056,000	2,084,000	5,997,000	7,728,000	22,140,000
Net interest income (loss) after provision	2,164,000	3,621,000	4,391,000	5,909,000	3,584,000	6,404,000	3,104,000	4,471,000	16,085,000	17,563,000	9,128,000
Other income	(148,000)	1,151,000	1,945,000	661,000	2,594,000	73,000	2,787,000	1,364,000	3,609,000	6,818,000	7,765,000
Other expenses	10,256,000	9,409,000	8,592,000	8,067,000	7,206,000	8,109,000	9,785,000	6,969,000	36,324,000	32,069,000	40,743,000
Loss before income tax	(8,240,000)	(4,637,000)	(2,256,000)	(1,497,000)	(1,028,000)	(1,632,000)	(3,894,000)	(1,134,000)	(16,630,000)	(7,688,000)	(23,850,000)
Net loss from continuing operations	(8,240,000)	(4,637,000)	(2,256,000)	(1,497,000)	(1,028,000)	(1,632,000)	(3,894,000)	(1,134,000)	(16,630,000)	(7,688,000)	(23,850,000)
Less net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(246,000)	175,000	(306,000)	(628,000)	(94,000)	261,000	331,000	377,000	(1,005,000)	875,000	243,000
Net loss attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylavania, Inc.					(934,000)	(1,893,000)	(4,225,000)	(1,511,000)	(15,625,000)	(8,563,000)	(24,093,000)
Net loss available to common shareholders	(8,507,000)	(5,323,000)	(2,458,000)	(1,375,000)	(1,438,000)	(2,395,000)	(4,724,000)	(2,009,000)	(17,663,000)	(10,566,000)	(26,063,000)
Net loss per common share
Basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.64)	$ (0.4)	$ (0.19)	$ (0.1)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.18)	$ (0.36)	$ (0.15)	$ (1.33)	$ (0.8)	$ (1.97)
Quarterly Financial Information, Explanatory Disclosure [Abstract]
Decrease in loss for the fourth quarter as compared to the fourth quarter of the prior year	7,000,000
Other real estate owned decrease	2,400,000								7,600,000
Decline in interest income	1,800,000
OTTI charge	1,500,000								(2,359,000)	(1,796,000)	(566,000)
Increase in impairment on LHFS	1,100,000
Number of vacant land properties	4
Increase in OTTI	$ 1,500,000