Basis of Presentation (Policy)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 for SBA Communications Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, omit or condense certain footnotes and other information normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals and deferrals) considered necessary for fair financial statement presentation have been made. The results of operations for an interim period may not give a true indication of the results for the year. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts or balances to conform to the presentation adopted in the current year.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The significant estimates made by management relate to the allowance for doubtful accounts, the costs and revenue relating to the Company’s construction contracts, stock-based compensation assumptions, valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets, fair value of long-lived assets, the useful lives of towers and intangible assets, anticipated property tax assessments, incremental borrowing rate for lease accounting, fair value of investments, and asset retirement obligations. Management develops estimates based on historical experience and on various assumptions about the future that are believed to be reasonable based on the information available. These estimates ultimately may differ from actual results and such differences could be material. The Company is in the process of reviewing the remaining estimated useful lives of its towers and intangible assets and is considering whether it should modify its current estimates for asset lives based on its historical operating experience. The Company has retained an independent consultant to assist in completing this review and analysis. If the Company concludes that a revision in the estimated useful lives of its towers and intangible assets is appropriate based on its review and analysis, the Company will account for any changes in the useful lives as a change in accounting estimate under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 250 Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, which will be recorded prospectively beginning in the period of change. The Company expects to conclude its analysis in 2024.
Foreign Currency Translation	Foreign Currency Translation All assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries that do not utilize the U.S. dollar as its functional currency are translated at period-end exchange rates, while revenues and expenses are translated at monthly average exchange rates during the period. Unrealized translation gains and losses are reported as foreign currency translation adjustments through Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net in the Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Deficit. For foreign subsidiaries where the U.S. dollar is the functional currency, monetary assets and liabilities of such subsidiaries, which are not denominated in U.S. dollars, are remeasured at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, and revenues and expenses are remeasured at monthly average rates prevailing during the year. Remeasurement gains and losses are reported as Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Intercompany Loans Subject to Remeasurement	Intercompany Loans Subject to Remeasurement In accordance with ASC 830, the Company remeasures foreign denominated intercompany loans with the corresponding change in the balance being recorded in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as settlement is anticipated or planned in the foreseeable future. The Company recorded a $31.2 million loss and a $25.5 million loss, net of taxes, on the remeasurement of intercompany loans for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and a $24.1 million gain and a $4.3 million gain, net of taxes, on the remeasurement of intercompany loans for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company funded $4.2 million and repaid $148.4 million under its intercompany loan agreements. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the aggregate amount outstanding under the intercompany loan agreements subject to remeasurement with the Company’s foreign subsidiaries was $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.
Reference Rate Reform	‎ Reference Rate Reform On June 21, 2023, the Company amended its interest rate swap to change from LIBOR as an interest rate benchmark to the replacement benchmark of Term SOFR effective on August 1, 2023. The Company has elected the optional expedient which allows companies to change the reference rate and other critical terms related to the reference rate reform in derivative hedge documentation without having to de-designate the hedging relationship, allowing the Company to continue applying hedge accounting to its cash flow hedge. On July 3, 2023, the Company amended its 2018 Term Loan and its Revolving Credit Facility to use Term SOFR as the benchmark rate. The transition from LIBOR to Term SOFR did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. Refer to Notes 10 and 17 for further discussion of the 2018 Term Loan, Revolving Credit Facility, and the Company’s interest rate swap.

Basis of Presentation (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 for SBA Communications Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, omit or condense certain footnotes and other information normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals and deferrals) considered necessary for fair financial statement presentation have been made. The results of operations for an interim period may not give a true indication of the results for the year. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts or balances to conform to the presentation adopted in the current year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The significant estimates made by management relate to the allowance for doubtful accounts, the costs and revenue relating to the Company’s construction contracts, stock-based compensation assumptions, valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets, fair value of long-lived assets, the useful lives of towers and intangible assets, anticipated property tax assessments, incremental borrowing rate for lease accounting, fair value of investments, and asset retirement obligations. Management develops estimates based on historical experience and on various assumptions about the future that are believed to be reasonable based on the information available. These estimates ultimately may differ from actual results and such differences could be material.

The Company is in the process of reviewing the remaining estimated useful lives of its towers and intangible assets and is considering whether it should modify its current estimates for asset lives based on its historical operating experience. The Company has retained an independent consultant to assist in completing this review and analysis. If the Company concludes that a revision in the estimated useful lives of its towers and intangible assets is appropriate based on its review and analysis, the Company will account for any changes in the useful lives as a change in accounting estimate under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 250 Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, which will be recorded prospectively beginning in the period of change. The Company expects to conclude its analysis in 2024.

Foreign Currency Translation

All assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries that do not utilize the U.S. dollar as its functional currency are translated at period-end exchange rates, while revenues and expenses are translated at monthly average exchange rates during the period. Unrealized translation gains and losses are reported as foreign currency translation adjustments through Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net in the Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Deficit.

For foreign subsidiaries where the U.S. dollar is the functional currency, monetary assets and liabilities of such subsidiaries, which are not denominated in U.S. dollars, are remeasured at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, and revenues and expenses are remeasured at monthly average rates prevailing during the year. Remeasurement gains and losses are reported as Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Intercompany Loans Subject to Remeasurement

In accordance with ASC 830, the Company remeasures foreign denominated intercompany loans with the corresponding change in the balance being recorded in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as settlement is anticipated or planned in the foreseeable future. The Company recorded a $31.2 million loss and a $25.5 million loss, net of taxes, on the remeasurement of intercompany loans for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and a $24.1 million gain and a $4.3 million gain, net of taxes, on the remeasurement of intercompany loans for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, the Company funded $4.2 million and repaid $148.4 million under its intercompany loan agreements. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the aggregate amount outstanding under the intercompany loan agreements subject to remeasurement with the Company’s foreign subsidiaries was $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.

Reference Rate Reform

‎

Reference Rate Reform

On June 21, 2023, the Company amended its interest rate swap to change from LIBOR as an interest rate benchmark to the replacement benchmark of Term SOFR effective on August 1, 2023. The Company has elected the optional expedient which allows companies to change the reference rate and other critical terms related to the reference rate reform in derivative hedge documentation without having to de-designate the hedging relationship, allowing the Company to continue applying hedge accounting to its cash flow hedge. On July 3, 2023, the Company amended its 2018 Term Loan and its Revolving Credit Facility to use Term SOFR as the benchmark rate. The transition from LIBOR to Term SOFR did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. Refer to Notes 10 and 17 for further discussion of the 2018 Term Loan, Revolving Credit Facility, and the Company’s interest rate swap.