Segment Information (Details)		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Aug. 01, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Operating Segments | segment										4
Total assets		$ 4,865,022,000				$ 4,217,270,000				$ 4,865,022,000	$ 4,217,270,000
Rental revenue										399,589,000	330,886,000	$ 286,673,000
Tenant reimbursements										15,595,000	16,320,000	17,663,000
Other income (loss)										9,039,000	3,629,000	1,009,000
Mortgage and other financing income										69,019,000	70,182,000	79,706,000
Total revenue		130,831,000	$ 125,610,000	$ 118,033,000	$ 118,768,000	111,988,000	$ 108,335,000	$ 101,258,000	$ 99,436,000	493,242,000	421,017,000	385,051,000
Property operating expense										22,602,000	23,433,000	24,897,000
Other expense										5,000	648,000	771,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										22,607,000	24,081,000	25,668,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										470,635,000	396,936,000	359,383,000
General and Administrative Expense										(37,543,000)	(31,021,000)	(27,566,000)
Severance Costs										0	(18,578,000)	0
Costs associated with loan refinancing or payoff										(905,000)	(270,000)	(301,000)
Interest Expense										(97,144,000)	(79,915,000)	(81,270,000)
Transaction costs										(7,869,000)	(7,518,000)	(2,452,000)
Provision for loan losses										0	0	(3,777,000)
Depreciation and amortization										(107,573,000)	(89,617,000)	(66,739,000)
Equity in income from joint ventures										619,000	969,000	1,273,000
Gain on sale of real estate	$ 0									5,315,000	23,829,000	1,209,000
Gain on sale of investment in a direct financing lease										0	0	220,000
Income tax expense										(553,000)	(482,000)	(4,228,000)
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation During Phase-out Period, Net of Tax										0	199,000	505,000
Transaction Costs Discontinued Operations										0	0	3,376,000
Net income attributable to EPR Properties		58,141,000	$ 57,526,000	$ 55,135,000	$ 54,180,000	52,750,000	$ 50,195,000	$ 48,766,000	$ 42,821,000	224,982,000	194,532,000	179,633,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock										(23,806,000)	(23,806,000)	(23,807,000)
Net income available to common shareholders of EPR Properties										201,176,000	170,726,000	155,826,000
Entertainment Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		2,168,669,000				2,006,926,000				2,168,669,000	2,006,926,000
Rental revenue										250,659,000	238,896,000	237,429,000
Tenant reimbursements										15,588,000	16,343,000	17,640,000
Other income (loss)										249,000	512,000	(6,000)
Mortgage and other financing income										6,187,000	7,127,000	7,056,000
Total revenue										272,683,000	262,878,000	262,119,000
Property operating expense										21,303,000	23,120,000	24,143,000
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										21,303,000	23,120,000	24,143,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										251,380,000	239,758,000	237,976,000
Education Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,308,288,000				1,013,930,000				1,308,288,000	1,013,930,000
Rental revenue										77,768,000	51,439,000	27,874,000
Tenant reimbursements										7,000	0	0
Other income (loss)										1,648,000	0	0
Mortgage and other financing income										32,539,000	30,622,000	31,488,000
Total revenue										111,962,000	82,061,000	59,362,000
Property operating expense										0	0	0
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										0	0	0
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										111,962,000	82,061,000	59,362,000
Recreation Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,120,498,000				935,266,000				1,120,498,000	935,266,000
Rental revenue										62,527,000	40,551,000	20,368,000
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income (loss)										4,482,000	0	0
Mortgage and other financing income										30,190,000	32,080,000	40,775,000
Total revenue										97,199,000	72,631,000	61,143,000
Property operating expense										8,000	0	0
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										8,000	0	0
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										97,191,000	72,631,000	61,143,000
Other Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		202,394,000				203,757,000				202,394,000	203,757,000
Rental revenue										8,635,000	0	1,002,000
Tenant reimbursements										0	(23,000)	23,000
Other income (loss)										0	119,000	315,000
Mortgage and other financing income										103,000	353,000	387,000
Total revenue										8,738,000	449,000	1,727,000
Property operating expense										662,000	313,000	754,000
Other expense										5,000	648,000	771,000
Investment Income, Investment Expense										667,000	961,000	1,525,000
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										8,071,000	(512,000)	202,000
Corporate Unallocated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		$ 65,173,000				$ 57,391,000				65,173,000	57,391,000
Rental revenue										0	0	0
Tenant reimbursements										0	0	0
Other income (loss)										2,660,000	2,998,000	700,000
Mortgage and other financing income										0	0	0
Total revenue										2,660,000	2,998,000	700,000
Property operating expense										629,000	0	0
Other expense										0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense										629,000	0	0
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items										$ 2,031,000	$ 2,998,000	$ 700,000