Debt - Credit Facility Narrative (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) swap_agreement	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 496,578,000	$ 1,448,590,000
VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	496,578,000	$ 1,448,590,000
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Loss on derivative instruments	3,300,000
Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	2,800,000,000
Maximum aggregate amount outstanding at any one time	$ 25,000,000
Length of extension option	1 year
Maximum leverage ratio (less than or equal to)	60.00%
Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (of at least)	1.5
Secured leverage ratio (less than or equal to)	45.00%
Unencumbered asset value ratio (less than or equal to)	60.00%
Minimum tangible net worth covenant (of at least)	$ 5,500,000,000.0
Minimum unencumbered interest coverage ratio (of at least)	1.75
Minimum unencumbered asset value (of at least)	$ 8,000,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Remaining borrowing capacity	$ 2,300,000,000
Credit Facility [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commitment fee percentage	0.15%
Credit Facility [Member] | VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commitment fee percentage	0.25%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 3,600,000,000.0	$ 3,600,000,000.0
Minimum unencumbered asset value (of at least)				10,500,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | Second Amendment [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 3,300,000,000.0
Minimum unencumbered asset value (of at least)			8,000,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Current borrowing capacity	$ 2,300,000,000
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.80%
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.80%
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Federal Funds Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.50%
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				2,450,000,000.00
Credit Facility [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Second Amendment [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Current borrowing capacity			2,300,000,000
Credit Facility [Member] | Multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				150,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 50,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member] | Second Amendment [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 25,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member] | Unencumbered Asset [Member] | Tranche One [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unencumbered Asset Value ratio	35.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | Unencumbered Asset [Member] | Tranche Two [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unencumbered Asset Value ratio	30.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Current borrowing capacity	$ 500,000,000
Debt repaid	500,000,000
Write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs	$ 4,300,000
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.15%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.05%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.15%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member] | Base Rate [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.05%
Credit Facility [Member] | Credit Facility Term Loan [Member] | Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Number of interest rate swaps terminated | swap_agreement	2
Credit Facility [Member] | Fixed Interest Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 500,000,000
Line of credit, amount bearing fixed interest rate, percentage	3.25%