Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Rental properties, net	$ 3,673,130	$ 3,595,762
Land held for development	22,530	22,530
Property under development	331,934	297,110
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	671,797	613,978
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	103,095	102,698
Investment in joint ventures	5,522	5,972
Cash and cash equivalents	14,446	19,335	$ 10,980	$ 4,283
Restricted cash	28,523	9,744
Accounts receivable, net	96,267	98,939
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	99,538	98,954
Total assets	5,046,782	4,865,022
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	101,438	119,758
Dividends payable	27,974	26,318
Unearned rents and interest	61,579	47,420
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,616,382	2,485,625
Total liabilities	2,807,373	2,679,121
Total equity	2,239,409	2,185,901
Total liabilities and equity	5,046,782	4,865,022
EPR Properties (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	1,010
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	11,614	16,586	7,519	1,089
Restricted cash	440	365
Accounts receivable, net	1,111	556
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	4,713,659	4,521,095
Other assets	25,203	21,768
Total assets	4,752,027	4,561,380
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	47,853	63,431
Dividends payable	27,974	26,318
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,436,791	2,285,730
Total liabilities	2,512,618	2,375,479
Total equity	2,239,409	2,185,901
Total liabilities and equity	4,752,027	4,561,380
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	3,234,232	3,164,622
Land held for development	1,258	1,258
Property under development	287,647	247,239
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	669,203	612,141
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	103,095	102,698
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	1,515	1,157	1,104	1,289
Restricted cash	27,484	8,352
Accounts receivable, net	86,130	89,145
Intercompany notes receivable	179,589	179,589
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	21,759	23,068
Total assets	4,611,912	4,429,269
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	49,771	52,061
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	60,780	46,647
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	110,551	98,708
Total equity	4,501,361	4,330,561
Total liabilities and equity	4,611,912	4,429,269
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	438,898	431,140
Land held for development	21,272	21,272
Property under development	44,287	48,861
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	2,594	1,837
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	5,522	5,972
Cash and cash equivalents	1,317	1,592	$ 2,357	$ 1,905
Restricted cash	599	1,027
Accounts receivable, net	9,026	9,238
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	52,576	54,118
Total assets	576,091	575,057
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,814	4,266
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	799	773
Intercompany notes payable	179,589	179,589
Debt	179,591	199,895
Total liabilities	363,793	384,523
Total equity	212,298	190,534
Total liabilities and equity	576,091	575,057
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)	(179,589)
Investments in subsidiaries	(4,713,659)	(4,521,095)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(4,893,248)	(4,700,684)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(179,589)	(179,589)
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(179,589)	(179,589)
Total equity	(4,713,659)	(4,521,095)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (4,893,248)	$ (4,700,684)