Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ 4,586	$ 4,298
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	459	348
Stock compensation expense	57	12
Credit for loan and lease losses	(1,382)	(765)
Impairment charge for OREO	659	399
Net amortization of AFS investment securities	1,164	1,495
Net accretion on loans	(471)	(303)
Net gains on sales of premises and equipment		(107)
Gains on sales of loans and leases		(223)
Net gains on sales of OREO	(769)	(633)
Net gains on sales of investment securities	(652)	(330)
Income from bank owned life insurance	(372)	(384)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Decrease in accrued interest receivable	934	1,500
Decrease in other assets	275	(16)
Decrease in accrued interest payable	1,442	1,340
Decrease in other liabilities	779	(1,334)
Net cash provided by operating activities	6,709	5,297
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from maturities, calls and paydowns of AFS investment securities	28,084	33,272
Proceeds from sales of AFS investment securities	33,653	55,290
Purchase of AFS investment securities	(41,134)	(40,150)
Redemption of Federal Home Loan Bank stock	77	526
Proceeds from sales of loans and leases		3,838
Net increase in loans	(59,106)	(37,001)
Additions to OREO	(418)	(1,292)
Proceeds from the sales of premises and equipment		303
Purchase of premises and equipment	(460)	(872)
Proceeds from sales of OREO	4,436	3,548
Net cash provided by investing activities	(34,868)	17,462
Cash flows from financing activities:
Increase in demand and NOW accounts	19,915	3,854
Increase (decrease) in money market and savings accounts	18,079	(952)
Decrease in certificates of deposit	(14,655)	(16,080)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings	9,000
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(10,000)
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(10,342)	(341)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(411)	(208)
Issuance of common stock, net		20,000
Redemption of preferred stock		(13,943)
Net cash used in financing activities	21,586	(17,670)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(6,573)	5,089
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period	30,790	16,844
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period	24,217	21,933
Supplemental Disclosure
Interest paid	3,356	3,530
Transfers to OREO	3,968	1,998
OREO Transfers to Loans	$ 995
Transfers to LHFS		$ 3,187