SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Summary of Purchased and Internally Developed Software (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Software [Line Items]
Less accumulated amortization	$ (96,891)	$ (83,158)
Net software	59,614	51,762
Purchased software
Software [Line Items]
Software	29,029	34,026
Internally developed software
Software [Line Items]
Software	$ 127,476	$ 100,894

For each balance sheet presented, the amount of accumulated amortization for capitalized computer software costs.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 985
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before accumulated amortization of capitalized costs for computer software, including but not limited to, acquired and internally developed computer software.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The carrying amount of capitalized computer software costs net of accumulated amortization as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 985
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedComputerSoftwareNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=chrw_PurchasedSoftwareMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=chrw_InternallyDevelopedSoftwareMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: