Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Rental properties, net	$ 3,490,998	$ 3,025,199
Land held for development	22,530	23,610
Property under development	263,026	378,920
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	440,878	423,780
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	189,152	190,880
Investment in joint ventures	6,159	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	7,311	4,283	$ 14,614	$ 3,336
Restricted cash	20,463	10,578
Accounts receivable, net	81,217	59,101
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	99,236	94,751
Total assets	4,620,970	4,217,270
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	101,019	92,178
Dividends payable	26,312	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	55,636	44,952
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,248,576	1,981,920
Total liabilities	2,431,543	2,143,402
Total equity	2,189,427	2,073,868
Total liabilities and equity	4,620,970	4,217,270
EPR Properties (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	181	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	0	0
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	4,551	1,089	11,378	(1,234)
Restricted cash	370	475
Accounts receivable, net	135	285
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	4,278,472	3,825,897
Other assets	22,477	23,053
Total assets	4,306,186	3,850,799
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	44,253	49,671
Dividends payable	26,312	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,046,194	1,702,908
Total liabilities	2,116,759	1,776,931
Total equity	2,189,427	2,073,868
Total liabilities and equity	4,306,186	3,850,799
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	3,057,994	2,590,158
Land held for development	1,258	1,258
Property under development	216,637	324,360
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	438,166	400,935
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	189,152	190,880
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	737	1,289	1,510	2,074
Restricted cash	19,037	9,059
Accounts receivable, net	72,418	49,237
Intercompany notes receivable	179,589	177,526
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	24,174	10,589
Total assets	4,199,162	3,755,291
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	53,461	39,228
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	54,894	44,012
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	0	63,682
Total liabilities	108,355	146,922
Total equity	4,090,807	3,608,369
Total liabilities and equity	4,199,162	3,755,291
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	433,004	435,041
Land held for development	21,272	22,352
Property under development	46,208	54,560
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	2,712	22,845
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	6,159	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	2,023	1,905	$ 1,726	$ 2,496
Restricted cash	1,056	1,044
Accounts receivable, net	8,664	9,579
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	52,585	61,109
Total assets	573,683	614,603
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,305	3,279
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	742	940
Intercompany notes payable	179,589	177,526
Debt	202,382	215,330
Total liabilities	386,018	397,075
Total equity	187,665	217,528
Total liabilities and equity	573,683	614,603
Consolidated Elimination [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	0	0
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Intercompany notes receivable	(179,589)	(177,526)
Investments in subsidiaries	(4,278,472)	(3,825,897)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(4,458,061)	(4,003,423)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(179,589)	(177,526)
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(179,589)	(177,526)
Total equity	(4,278,472)	(3,825,897)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (4,458,061)	$ (4,003,423)