Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 727,204,000	$ 727,212,000	$ 727,204,000	$ 727,212,000	$ 732,553,000
Total deposits	531,510,000	526,917,000	531,510,000	526,917,000	$ 530,425,000
Interest income	7,071,000	7,209,000	14,351,000	14,360,000
Interest expense	1,591,000	1,622,000	3,162,000	3,247,000
Net Interest Income	5,480,000	5,587,000	11,189,000	11,113,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	(586,000)	(75,000)	(1,166,000)	(714,000)
Total non-interest Income	1,283,000	816,000	2,130,000	1,588,000
Noninterest Expense	5,737,000	5,031,000	11,112,000	10,353,000
Net Income	1,612,000	1,447,000	3,373,000	3,062,000
Noncontrolling interest	151,000	69,000	321,000	187,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ 1,461,000	1,378,000	3,052,000	2,875,000
Royal Bank [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.			$ 3,034,000
Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%		80.00%
Community Banking Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 709,612,000	704,313,000	$ 709,612,000	704,313,000
Total deposits	531,510,000	526,917,000	531,510,000	526,917,000
Interest income	6,980,000	6,864,000	14,017,000	13,660,000
Interest expense	1,378,000	1,343,000	2,722,000	2,663,000
Net Interest Income	5,602,000	5,521,000	11,295,000	10,997,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	(536,000)	(95,000)	(1,197,000)	(832,000)
Total non-interest Income	868,000	466,000	1,386,000	1,032,000
Noninterest Expense	5,093,000	4,368,000	9,948,000	9,305,000
Net Income	1,913,000	1,714,000	3,930,000	3,556,000
Noncontrolling interest	183,000	111,000	372,000	268,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	1,730,000	1,603,000	3,558,000	3,288,000
Tax Lien Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	17,592,000	22,899,000	17,592,000	22,899,000
Interest income	91,000	345,000	334,000	700,000
Interest expense	213,000	279,000	440,000	584,000
Net Interest Income	(122,000)	66,000	(106,000)	116,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	(50,000)	20,000	31,000	118,000
Total non-interest Income	415,000	350,000	744,000	556,000
Noninterest Expense	644,000	663,000	1,164,000	1,048,000
Net Income	(301,000)	(267,000)	(557,000)	(494,000)
Noncontrolling interest	(32,000)	(42,000)	(51,000)	(81,000)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ (269,000)	(225,000)	$ (506,000)	(413,000)
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%		80.00%
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Royal Tax Lien [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	100.00%		100.00%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 213,000	$ 279,000	$ 440,000	$ 584,000