Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 798,548,000	$ 725,205,000	$ 788,283,000
Total deposits	589,331,000	520,286,000	$ 577,892,000
Interest income	8,214,000	7,280,000
Interest expense	1,723,000	1,571,000
Net Interest Income	6,491,000	5,709,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	212,000	(580,000)
Total non-interest Income	1,207,000	567,000
Noninterest Expense	5,221,000	5,095,000
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Net Income	2,265,000	1,761,000
Noncontrolling interest	76,000	170,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	2,189,000	1,591,000
Royal Bank [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ 2,243,000
Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	80.00%
Community Banking Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	$ 784,797,000	706,252,000
Total deposits	589,331,000	520,286,000
Interest income	8,133,000	7,037,000
Interest expense	1,568,000	1,344,000
Net Interest Income	6,565,000	5,693,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	303,000	(661,000)
Total non-interest Income	1,190,000	513,000
Noninterest Expense	4,839,000	4,850,000
Net Income	2,613,000	2,017,000
Noncontrolling interest	96,000	189,000
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	2,517,000	1,828,000
Tax Lien Segment [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Total assets	13,751,000	18,953,000
Total deposits	0	0
Interest income	81,000	243,000
Interest expense	155,000	227,000
Net Interest Income	(74,000)	16,000
(Credit) provision for loan and lease losses	(91,000)	81,000
Total non-interest Income	17,000	54,000
Noninterest Expense	382,000	245,000
Net Income	(348,000)	(256,000)
Noncontrolling interest	(20,000)	(19,000)
Net Income Attributable to Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.	$ (328,000)	(237,000)
Tax Lien Segment [Member] | Royal Bank [Member] | Crusader Servicing Corporation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Ownership interest (as a percent)	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%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Selected Segment Information and Reconciliations to Consolidated Financial Information [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 155,000	$ 227,000