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.

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks paid or offered to be paid in a business combination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionSharePrice
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Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6578-128477

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6613-128477

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tangible or intangible assets, including a business or subsidiary of the acquirer transferred by the entity to the former owners of the acquiree. Excludes cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=brka_PrecisionCastpartsCorpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=brka_DuracellCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=brka_ProcterAndGambleCompanyMember
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Significant business acquisitions - Narrative (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions			3 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016	Jan. 29, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of shares exchanged			$ 4,239
Precision Castparts Corp. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, cash price per share		$ 235
Aggregate consideration paid for business acquisition		$ 32,700
Duracell Company [Member] \| Procter & Gamble Company [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of shares exchanged	$ 4,239