Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Operating Segments | segment									2
Total assets	$ 6,577,511				$ 6,131,390				$ 6,577,511	$ 6,131,390
Rental revenue									593,022	509,086	$ 441,187
Other income (loss)									25,920	2,076	3,095
Interest and Fee Income, Loans, Commercial and Residential, Real Estate									33,027	128,759	74,038
Revenues	170,346	$ 169,356	$ 161,740	$ 150,527	150,917	$ 160,993	$ 188,060	$ 139,951	651,969	639,921	518,320
Property operating expense									60,739	29,654	31,327
Other expense									29,667	443	242
Investment Income, Investment Expense									90,406	30,097	31,569
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items									561,563	609,824	486,751
General and Administrative Expense									(46,371)	(48,889)	(43,383)
Severance Costs									(2,364)	(5,938)	0
Litigation settlement expense									0	(2,090)	0
Costs associated with loan refinancing or payoff									(38,269)	(31,958)	(1,549)
Gain on Extinguishment of Debt									0	0	977
Interest Expense									(142,002)	(135,870)	(133,461)
Transaction costs									(23,789)	(3,698)	(523)
Impairment charges									(2,206)	(27,283)	(1,902)
Depreciation and amortization									(158,834)	(138,395)	(121,357)
Equity in (loss) income from joint ventures									(381)	(22)	72
Gain on sale of real estate									4,174	3,037	41,942
gain on sale of investment in direct financing lease									0	5,514	0
Income tax benefit (expense)									3,035	(2,285)	(2,399)
Income from discontinued operations before other items									37,241	45,036	46,093
Impairment on public charter school portfolio sale									(21,433)	0	0
Impairment Charges, Discontinued Operations									0	0	(8,293)
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Real Estate, Discontinued Operations									31,879	0	0
Net income	36,297	34,003	66,594	65,349	54,031	91,833	91,581	29,538	202,243	266,983	262,968
Dividends, Preferred Stock									(24,136)	(24,142)	(24,293)
Preferred Share Redemption Costs									0	0	4,457
Net income available to common shareholders of EPR Properties	30,263	$ 27,969	$ 60,560	$ 59,315	47,997	$ 85,797	$ 85,545	$ 23,502	178,107	242,841	234,218
Experiential Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	5,307,295				4,740,387				5,307,295	4,740,387
Rental revenue									525,085	453,721	405,172
Other income (loss)									24,818	332	614
Interest and Fee Income, Loans, Commercial and Residential, Real Estate									31,594	117,171	53,147
Revenues									581,497	571,224	458,933
Property operating expense									56,369	26,168	24,699
Other expense									29,222	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense									85,591	26,168	24,699
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items									495,906	545,056	434,234
Gain on sale of real estate									4,200	1,200
Education Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	730,165				1,366,278				730,165	1,366,278
Rental revenue									67,937	55,365	36,015
Other income (loss)									0	0	1
Interest and Fee Income, Loans, Commercial and Residential, Real Estate									1,433	11,588	20,891
Revenues									69,370	66,953	56,907
Property operating expense									3,481	2,831	5,988
Other expense									0	0	0
Investment Income, Investment Expense									3,481	2,831	5,988
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items									65,889	64,122	50,919
Corporate Unallocated [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets	$ 540,051				$ 24,725				540,051	24,725
Rental revenue									0	0	0
Other income (loss)									1,102	1,744	2,480
Interest and Fee Income, Loans, Commercial and Residential, Real Estate									0	0	0
Revenues									1,102	1,744	2,480
Property operating expense									889	655	640
Other expense									445	443	242
Investment Income, Investment Expense									1,334	1,098	882
Net Operating Income Before Unallocated Items									$ (232)	$ 646	$ 1,598