Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Unfunded Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Defined benefit payment amount	$ 0.9
Estimated additional payments in 2018	4.0
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Defined benefit payment amount	0.1
Estimated additional payments in 2018	$ 0.9

Amount of payment to participant of defined benefit plan which decreases benefit obligation. For pension plan, payment includes, but is not limited to, pension benefits and death benefits. For other postretirement plan, payment includes, but is not limited to, prescription drug benefits, health care benefits, life insurance benefits, and legal, educational and advisory services.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 60
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414203&loc=d3e39716-114964

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationBenefitsPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in fiscal year. Excludes contributions paid by employer in current fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e2709-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTableTextBlockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=mco_UnfundedPensionPlansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: