Significant Accounting Policies (Notes)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of KVH Industries, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Company has evaluated all subsequent events through the date of this filing. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated financial statements have not been audited by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. These consolidated financial statements do not include all disclosures associated with annual financial statements and accordingly should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed on March 1, 2019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the remainder of the year. Significant Estimates and Assumptions and Other Significant Non-Recurring Transactions The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. As described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, the most significant estimates and assumptions by management affect the Company’s revenue recognition, valuation of accounts receivable, valuation of inventory, valuations and deferred purchase price consideration related to asset acquisition, expected future cash flows including growth rates, discount rates, terminal values and other assumptions and estimates used to evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets and goodwill, estimated fair values of long-lived assets, including goodwill, amortization methods and periods, certain accrued expenses and other related charges, stock-based compensation, contingent liabilities, key valuation assumptions for its share-based awards, estimated fulfillment costs for warranty obligations, tax reserves and recoverability of the Company’s net deferred tax assets and related valuation allowance. The Company has reviewed these estimates and determined that these remain the most significant estimates in addition to the valuation of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. The only material change to the significant accounting policies disclosed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 was the Company’s adoption of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 842, Leases, effective January 1, 2019. Please see Note 19 for further discussion. On February 27, 2018, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, or SJC, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell 377 shares of treasury stock to SJC for a purchase price of $11.95 per share, or an aggregate of $4,500, in a private placement. The transaction closed on February 28, 2018. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a five-year capital lease for three satellite hubs for the HTS network. Please see Note 19 for further discussion.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of KVH Industries, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Company has evaluated all subsequent events through the date of this filing. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The consolidated financial statements have not been audited by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm and include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. These consolidated financial statements do not include all disclosures associated with annual financial statements and accordingly should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed on March 1, 2019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The results for the three months ended March 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of operating results for the remainder of the year.

Significant Estimates and Assumptions and Other Significant Non-Recurring Transactions

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting periods. As described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, the most significant estimates and assumptions by management affect the Company’s revenue recognition, valuation of accounts receivable, valuation of inventory, valuations and deferred purchase price consideration related to asset acquisition, expected future cash flows including growth rates, discount rates, terminal values and other assumptions and estimates used to evaluate the recoverability of long-lived assets and goodwill, estimated fair values of long-lived assets, including goodwill, amortization methods and periods, certain accrued expenses and other related charges, stock-based compensation, contingent liabilities, key valuation assumptions for its share-based awards, estimated fulfillment costs for warranty obligations, tax reserves and recoverability of the Company’s net deferred tax assets and related valuation allowance. The Company has reviewed these estimates and determined that these remain the most significant estimates in addition to the valuation of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ materially from these estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances.

The only material change to the significant accounting policies disclosed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 was the Company’s adoption of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 842, Leases, effective January 1, 2019. Please see Note 19 for further discussion.

On February 27, 2018, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, or SJC, pursuant to which the Company agreed to sell 377 shares of treasury stock to SJC for a purchase price of $11.95 per share, or an aggregate of $4,500, in a private placement. The transaction closed on February 28, 2018.

During the first quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a five-year capital lease for three satellite hubs for the HTS network. Please see Note 19 for further discussion.