Note 3 - Revenue; Accounts and Unbilled Receivables (Details Textual) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Customer Contracts, Notice of Termination Period (Day)	60 days
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Revenue Benchmark [Member]
Number of Major Customers	4	4
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Revenue Benchmark [Member] \| Four Customers [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	63.30%	63.10%
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Accounts and Unbilled Receivables [Member] \| Four Customers [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	64.00%
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Accounts and Unbilled Receivables [Member] \| Four Non-CSB Customers [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage		61.60%
Number of Major Customers	4	4
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Accounts and Unbilled Receivables [Member] \| Twelve CSB Customers [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	88.80%
Number of Major Customers	12
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] \| Accounts and Unbilled Receivables [Member] \| Fourteen CSB Customers [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage		96.60%
Number of Major Customers		14

NOVATION COMPANIES, INC. 10-K