Condensed Consolidating Financial Information of Guarantor Subsidiaries - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 244,686	$ 276,853	$ 733,791	$ 766,623
Services revenues	16,076	16,727	49,322	47,452
Other	17,346	17,440	48,679	48,121
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	156,561	184,016	482,814	511,042
Services revenues	5,445	5,582	16,736	16,017
Other	16,991	16,901	48,129	47,329
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	88,125	92,837	250,977	255,581
Selling, general and administrative expenses	55,962	54,704	172,385	162,584
Gain on sales of property and equipment, net	927	339	2,301	1,769
Income from operations	33,090	38,472	80,893	94,766
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(13,469)	(13,481)	(40,229)	(40,675)
Other, net	386	501	1,505	1,083
Total other expense, net	(13,083)	(12,980)	(38,724)	(39,592)
Income before provision for income taxes	20,007	25,492	42,169	55,174
Income tax expense	8,342	10,720	17,427	22,836
Net income	11,665	14,772	24,742	32,338
Rental Depreciation [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	41,528	40,963	120,700	121,121
Rental Expense [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	18,378	19,210	53,162	52,522
Elimination [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Equity in earnings of guarantor subsidiaries	(3,892)	(3,663)	(8,388)	(7,023)
Income from operations	(3,892)	(3,663)	(8,388)	(7,023)
Other income (expense):
Income before provision for income taxes	(3,892)	(3,663)	(8,388)	(7,023)
Net income	(3,892)	(3,663)	(8,388)	(7,023)
Other [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	355	539	550	792
Equipment Rentals [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	118,535	118,055	330,023	328,072
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	58,629	57,882	156,161	154,429
New Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	44,764	66,552	151,836	175,465
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	40,147	60,000	135,152	156,068
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	4,617	6,552	16,684	19,397
Used Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	20,630	29,111	71,973	83,113
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	14,364	20,262	49,751	56,761
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	6,266	8,849	22,222	26,352
Parts Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	27,335	28,968	81,958	84,400
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	19,708	21,098	59,184	61,224
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	7,627	7,870	22,774	23,176
Services Revenues [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	16,076	16,727	49,322	47,452
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	5,445	5,582	16,736	16,017
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	10,631	11,145	32,586	31,435
H & E Equipment Services [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	201,770	229,948	607,974	646,806
Services revenues	13,693	14,206	42,140	40,279
Other	14,072	14,110	39,619	39,012
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	129,886	153,984	401,604	434,696
Services revenues	4,686	4,811	14,470	13,719
Other	13,716	13,657	39,069	38,211
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	71,884	75,964	206,370	212,110
Selling, general and administrative expenses	45,810	44,810	142,402	135,966
Equity in earnings of guarantor subsidiaries	3,892	3,663	8,388	7,023
Gain on sales of property and equipment, net	782	232	1,948	1,306
Income from operations	30,748	35,049	74,304	84,473
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(11,074)	(10,023)	(33,460)	(30,261)
Other, net	333	466	1,325	962
Total other expense, net	(10,741)	(9,557)	(32,135)	(29,299)
Income before provision for income taxes	20,007	25,492	42,169	55,174
Income tax expense	8,342	10,720	17,427	22,836
Net income	11,665	14,772	24,742	32,338
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Rental Depreciation [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	34,168	34,194	100,111	101,237
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Rental Expense [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	15,127	15,705	44,135	43,301
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Other [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	356	453	550	801
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Equipment Rentals [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	96,310	96,768	270,927	271,270
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	47,015	46,869	126,681	126,732
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | New Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	37,110	57,311	124,450	156,657
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	33,206	51,569	110,594	139,121
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	3,904	5,742	13,856	17,536
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Used Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	16,778	22,124	59,515	66,072
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	11,762	15,501	41,565	45,672
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	5,016	6,623	17,950	20,400
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Parts Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	23,807	25,429	71,323	73,516
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	17,221	18,547	51,660	53,435
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	6,586	6,882	19,663	20,081
H & E Equipment Services [Member] | Services Revenues [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	9,007	9,395	27,670	26,560
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	42,916	46,905	125,817	119,817
Services revenues	2,383	2,521	7,182	7,173
Other	3,274	3,330	9,060	9,109
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	26,675	30,032	81,210	76,346
Services revenues	759	771	2,266	2,298
Other	3,275	3,244	9,060	9,118
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	16,241	16,873	44,607	43,471
Selling, general and administrative expenses	10,152	9,894	29,983	26,618
Gain on sales of property and equipment, net	145	107	353	463
Income from operations	6,234	7,086	14,977	17,316
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(2,395)	(3,458)	(6,769)	(10,414)
Other, net	53	35	180	121
Total other expense, net	(2,342)	(3,423)	(6,589)	(10,293)
Income before provision for income taxes	3,892	3,663	8,388	7,023
Net income	3,892	3,663	8,388	7,023
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Rental Depreciation [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	7,360	6,769	20,589	19,884
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Rental Expense [Member]
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	3,251	3,505	9,027	9,221
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Other [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	(1)	86		(9)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Equipment Rentals [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	22,225	21,287	59,096	56,802
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	11,614	11,013	29,480	27,697
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | New Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	7,654	9,241	27,386	18,808
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	6,941	8,431	24,558	16,947
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	713	810	2,828	1,861
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Used Equipment Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	3,852	6,987	12,458	17,041
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	2,602	4,761	8,186	11,089
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	1,250	2,226	4,272	5,952
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Parts Sales [Member]
Revenues:
Revenues	3,528	3,539	10,635	10,884
Cost of revenues:
Cost of revenues	2,487	2,551	7,524	7,789
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	1,041	988	3,111	3,095
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Services Revenues [Member]
Gross profit (loss):
Gross profit (loss)	$ 1,624	$ 1,750	$ 4,916	$ 4,875