Quarterly Results (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues	$ 383,374	$ 384,954	$ 393,721	$ 393,968	$ 418,807	$ 457,118	$ 382,178	$ 321,154	$ 1,556,017	$ 1,579,257	$ 329,323
Net (loss) income	(192,231)	8,141	(108,709)	(30,693)	(360,427)	(288,047)	(56,598)	(305,840)	(323,492)	(1,010,912)	(507,815)
Net (loss) income attributable to the Company / OP	(187,390)	7,529	(106,522)	(29,970)	(350,623)	(280,398)	(54,720)	(291,444)	(316,353)	(977,185)	(491,499)
Less: dividends to preferred shares and participating securities	18,160	18,191	17,973	17,978	19,691	37,643	23,291	23,432	248,476	819,377	259,468
Net loss attributable to common stockholders / unitholders	$ (205,550)	$ (10,662)	$ (124,495)	$ (47,948)	$ (370,314)	$ (318,041)	$ (78,011)	$ (314,876)	$ (388,655)	$ (1,081,242)	$ (495,130)
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding - basic and diluted (shares)	903,638,159	903,461,323	903,339,143	902,996,270	902,528,464	902,096,102	815,406,408	547,470,457	903,360,763	793,150,098	205,341,431
Basic and diluted net loss per share / unit attributable to common stockholders / unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.14)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.41)	$ (0.35)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.58)	$ (0.43)	$ (1.36)	$ (2.41)
VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Revenues	$ 383,374	$ 384,954	$ 393,721	$ 393,968	$ 418,807	$ 457,118	$ 382,178	$ 321,154	$ 1,556,017	$ 1,579,257	$ 329,323
Net (loss) income	(192,231)	8,141	(108,709)	(30,693)	(360,427)	(288,047)	(56,598)	(305,840)	(323,492)	(1,010,912)	(507,815)
Net (loss) income attributable to the Company / OP	(192,308)	7,737	(109,322)	(30,873)	(360,038)	(288,202)	(56,870)	(305,648)	$ (324,766)	$ (1,010,758)	$ (507,815)
Less: dividends to preferred shares and participating securities	18,160	18,191	17,973	17,978	19,691	37,643	23,291	23,432
Net loss attributable to common stockholders / unitholders	$ (210,468)	$ (10,454)	$ (127,295)	$ (48,851)	$ (379,729)	$ (325,845)	$ (80,161)	$ (329,080)
Weighted average number of common shares / units outstanding - basic and diluted (shares)	927,401,956	927,225,120	927,102,940	926,760,067	926,999,843	926,801,361	840,184,663	572,457,009	927,124,560	817,883,937	214,352,289
Basic and diluted net loss per share / unit attributable to common stockholders / unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.23)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.14)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.41)	$ (0.35)	$ (0.10)	$ (0.57)