Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	May 21, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Apr. 03, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Rental properties, net	$ 3,595,762	$ 3,025,199
Land held for development	22,530	23,610
Property under development	297,110	378,920
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	613,978	423,780
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	102,698	190,880	$ 4,700		$ 45,900
Investment in joint ventures	5,972	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	19,335	4,283		$ 3,336		$ 7,958
Restricted cash	9,744	10,578
Accounts receivable, net	98,939	59,101
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	98,954	94,751
Total assets	4,865,022	4,217,270
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	119,758	92,178
Dividends payable	26,318	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	47,420	44,952
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,485,625	1,981,920
Total liabilities	2,679,121	2,143,402
Equity	2,185,901	2,073,868		1,926,489		1,688,014
Total liabilities and equity	4,865,022	4,217,270
EPR Properties (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	1,010	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	0	0
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	16,586	1,089		(1,234)		449
Restricted cash	365	475
Accounts receivable, net	556	285
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	4,521,095	3,825,897
Other assets	21,768	23,053
Total assets	4,561,380	3,850,799
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	63,431	49,671
Dividends payable	26,318	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,285,730	1,702,908
Total liabilities	2,375,479	1,776,931
Equity	2,185,901	2,073,868
Total liabilities and equity	4,561,380	3,850,799
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	3,164,622	2,590,158
Land held for development	1,258	1,258
Property under development	247,239	324,360
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	612,141	400,935
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	102,698	190,880
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	1,157	1,289		2,074		4,107
Restricted cash	8,352	9,059
Accounts receivable, net	89,145	49,237
Intercompany notes receivable	179,589	177,526
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	23,068	10,589
Total assets	4,429,269	3,755,291
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	52,061	39,228
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	46,647	44,012
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	0	63,682
Total liabilities	98,708	146,922
Equity	4,330,561	3,608,369
Total liabilities and equity	4,429,269	3,755,291
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	431,140	435,041
Land held for development	21,272	22,352
Property under development	48,861	54,560
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	1,837	22,845
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	5,972	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	1,592	1,905		$ 2,496		$ 3,402
Restricted cash	1,027	1,044
Accounts receivable, net	9,238	9,579
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	54,118	61,109
Total assets	575,057	614,603
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	4,266	3,279
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	773	940
Intercompany notes payable	179,589	177,526
Debt	199,895	215,330
Total liabilities	384,523	397,075
Equity	190,534	217,528
Total liabilities and equity	575,057	614,603
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable, net	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	(4,521,095)	(3,825,897)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(4,700,684)	(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)
Equity	(4,521,095)	(3,825,897)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (4,700,684)	$ (4,003,423)