Interest payable dates.

No definition available.

Name:	sbac_InterestPayableDates
Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	invest:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of face value price for issuance of senior notes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbac_PercentageOfFaceValuePriceForIssuanceOfSeniorNotes
Namespace Prefix:	sbac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before accumulated amortization, of debt issuance costs. Includes, but is not limited to, legal, accounting, underwriting, printing, and registration costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredFinanceCostsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow for the settlement of obligation drawn from a contractual arrangement with the lender, including letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a specific amount at any point in time with maturities due beyond one year or the operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Financing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow to repay long-term debt that is not secured by collateral. Excludes repayments of tax exempt unsecured debt.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfUnsecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_FivePointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandNineteenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_SeniorNotesThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_SeniorNotesFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=sbac_SeniorNotesFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

Debt (Senior Notes) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 13, 2017	Aug. 15, 2016	Jul. 01, 2014	Oct. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of revolving credit facility					$ 35,000	$ 375,000	$ 140,000
5.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		5.75%			5.75%	5.75%		5.75%
Repayments of unsecured debt		$ 800,000
5.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		5.625%			5.625%	5.625%
Repayments of unsecured debt		$ 250,000
2014 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes			$ 750,000
Debt instrument, maturity date						Jul. 15, 2022
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			4.875%
Percentage of face value price for issuance of senior notes			99.178%
Interest payable dates						January 15 and July 15
Deferred financing fees			$ 11,600
2016 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes		$ 1,100,000
Debt instrument, maturity date						Sep. 01, 2024
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		4.875%
Percentage of face value price for issuance of senior notes		99.178%
Interest payable dates						March 1 and September 1
Deferred financing fees		$ 12,800
2017 Senior Notes [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured senior notes	$ 750,000
Debt instrument, maturity date	Oct. 01, 2022
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.00%
Interest payable dates	April 1 and October 1
Deferred financing fees	$ 8,200
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, maturity date						Feb. 05, 2020
Repayments of revolving credit facility						$ 375,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of revolving credit facility	$ 460,000			$ 460,000