Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating activities:
Net income attributable to EPR Properties	$ 224,982,000	$ 194,532,000	$ 179,633,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on sale of real estate	(5,315,000)	(23,829,000)	(1,209,000)
Gain on insurance recovery	(4,684,000)	0	0
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(1,065,000)	(1,136,000)	1,796,000
Provision for loan losses	0	0	3,777,000
Non-cash fee income	(1,588,000)	0	0
Income from discontinued operations	0	(199,000)	(3,881,000)
Gain on sale of investment in a direct financing lease	0	0	(220,000)
Costs associated with loan refinancing or payoff	905,000	270,000	301,000
Equity in income from joint ventures	(619,000)	(969,000)	(1,273,000)
Distributions from joint ventures	816,000	540,000	810,000
Depreciation and amortization	107,573,000	89,617,000	66,739,000
Amortization of deferred financing costs	4,787,000	4,588,000	4,248,000
Amortization of above/below market leases and tenant improvements	183,000	192,000	192,000
Share-based compensation expense to management and trustees	11,164,000	8,508,000	8,902,000
Share-based compensation expense included in retirement severance expense	0	6,377,000	0
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	(1,619,000)	2,017,000	(8,000)
Decrease (increase) in mortgage notes accrued interest receivable	572,000	(4,133,000)	(3,997,000)
Increase in accounts receivable, net	(37,627,000)	(11,623,000)	(5,214,000)
Increase in direct financing lease receivable	(3,255,000)	(3,559,000)	(2,993,000)
(Increase) decrease in other assets	(3,320,000)	343,000	(3,360,000)
Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities	17,025,000	5,711,000	4,586,000
(Decrease) increase in unearned rents and interest	(2,713,000)	10,705,000	1,323,000
Net operating cash provided by continuing operations	306,202,000	277,952,000	250,152,000
Net operating cash provided by discontinued operations	0	508,000	143,000
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	306,202,000	278,460,000	250,295,000
Investing activities:
Acquisition of rental properties and other assets	(219,169,000)	(179,820,000)	(85,205,000)
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate	23,860,000	46,718,000	12,055,000
Proceeds from settlement of derivative	0	0	5,725,000
Investment in mortgage notes receivable	(192,539,000)	(72,698,000)	(93,877,000)
Proceeds from mortgage note receivable paydown	72,072,000	40,956,000	76,256,000
Investment in promissory notes receivable	1,546,000	0	4,387,000
Proceeds from promissory note receivable paydown	0	0	1,750,000
Proceeds from sale of infrastructure related to issuance of revenue bonds	43,462,000	0	0
Proceeds from insurance recovery	4,610,000	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Lease Receivables	20,951,000	4,741,000	46,092,000
Additions to properties under development	(413,848,000)	(408,436,000)	(334,635,000)
Net cash used by investing activities	(662,147,000)	(568,539,000)	(376,226,000)
Financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt facilities	1,380,000,000	856,914,000	379,000,000
Principal payments on long-term debt	(865,266,000)	(503,314,000)	(310,253,000)
Deferred financing fees paid	(14,385,000)	(7,047,000)	(814,000)
Costs associated with loan refinancing or payoff (cash portion)	(482,000)	0	(25,000)
Net proceeds from issuance of common shares	142,628,000	190,158,000	264,158,000
Impact of stock option exercises, net	(1,488,000)	(3,394,000)	50,000
Purchase of common shares for treasury	(4,211,000)	(8,222,000)	(2,892,000)
Dividends paid to shareholders	(265,662,000)	(233,073,000)	(207,637,000)
Net cash provided by financing activities	371,134,000	292,022,000	121,587,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(137,000)	(996,000)	(278,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	15,052,000	947,000	(4,622,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year	4,283,000	3,336,000	7,958,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year	19,335,000	4,283,000	3,336,000
Supplemental schedule of non-cash activity:
Transfer of property under development to rental property	454,922,000	392,786,000	236,428,000
Transfer of land held for development to property under development	0	167,600,000	0
Acquisition of real estate in exchange for assumption of debt at fair value	0	0	101,441,000
Issuance of nonvested shares and restricted share units at fair value, including nonvested shares issued for payment of bonuses	19,626,000	14,285,000	15,525,000
Conversion of mortgage note receivable to rental property	0	120,051,000	0
Adjustment of noncontrolling interest to additional paid in capital	0	377,000	0
Sale of investment in a direct financing lease, net in exchange for mortgage note receivable	70,304,000	0	0
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid during the year for interest	96,410,000	90,850,000	85,290,000
Cash paid during the year for income taxes	1,684,000	1,956,000	710,000
Interest cost capitalized	10,697,000	18,546,000	7,525,000
Increase in accrued capital expenditures	$ 6,035,000	$ 417,000	$ 7,053,000