Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Description of Business Cousins Properties Incorporated (“Cousins”), a Georgia corporation, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Cousins conducts substantially all of its operations through Cousins Properties LP ("CPLP"). Cousins owns approximately 98% of CPLP and consolidates CPLP. Cousins TRS Services LLC ("CTRS"), which is wholly owned by CPLP, is a taxable entity which owns and manages its own real estate portfolio and performs certain real estate related services for other parties. Cousins, CPLP, CTRS, and their subsidiaries are hereinafter referred to collectively as "the Company." The Company develops, acquires, leases, manages, and owns primarily Class A office assets and opportunistic mixed-use properties in Sunbelt markets with a focus on Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Cousins has elected to be taxed as a REIT and intends to, among other things, distribute 100% of its net taxable income to stockholders, thereby eliminating any liability for federal income taxes under current law. Therefore, the results included herein do not include a federal income tax provision for Cousins. Basis of Presentation The condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and were prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary (which adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature) for the fair presentation of the Company's financial position as of March 31, 2017 and the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The accounting policies employed are substantially the same as those shown in note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included therein. For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, there were no items of other comprehensive income. Therefore, no presentation of comprehensive income is required. Recently Issued Accounting Standards In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." Under the new guidance, companies will recognize revenue when the seller satisfies a performance obligation, which would be when the buyer takes control of the good or service. This new guidance could result in different amounts of revenue being recognized and could result in revenue being recognized in different reporting periods than under the current guidance. The new guidance specifically excludes revenue associated with lease contracts. ASU 2015-14, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," was subsequently issued modifying the effective date to periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The standard allows for either "full retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or "modified retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most recent period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently assessing this guidance for future implementation and potential impact of adoption. The Company expects to adopt this guidance using the "modified retrospective" method effective January 1, 2018. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases," which amends the existing standards for lease accounting by requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting and reporting. The new standard will require lessees to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months and classify such leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase of the leased asset by the lessee. This classification will determine whether the lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method (finance leases) or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease (operating leases). Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases, and operating leases. ASU 2016-02 supersedes previous leasing standards. The guidance is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt this guidance effective January 1, 2019, and is currently assessing the potential impact of adopting the new guidance. The Company expects to adopt this guidance using the "modified retrospective" method effective January 1, 2019. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments" ("ASU 2016-15") which updated ASC Topic 230, "Statement of Cash Flows." ASU 2016-15 clarifies guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows to reduce diversity in practice with respect to (i) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, (ii) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, (iii) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, (iv) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, (v) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, including bank-owned life insurance policies, (vi) distributions received from equity method investees, (vii) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and (viii) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. ASU 2016-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt this ASU in fiscal year 2018, and anticipates no material changes as a result of the adoption. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, "Restricted Cash" ("ASU 2016-18") which updated ASC Topic 230, "Statement of Cash Flows." ASU 2016-18 will require companies to include restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, "Clarifying the Definition of a Business," which provides a more narrow definition of a business to be used in determining the accounting treatment of an acquisition. As a result, many acquisitions that previously qualified as business combinations will be treated as asset acquisitions. For asset acquisitions, acquisition costs may be capitalized, and the purchase price may be allocated on a relative fair value basis. ASU 2017-01 is effective prospectively for the Company on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects that most of its future acquisitions will qualify as asset acquisitions. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." Under this ASU, the additional paid-in capital pool is eliminated, and an entity recognizes all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement. This ASU also eliminated the requirement to defer recognition of an excess tax benefit until all benefits are realized through a reduction to taxes payable. In the first quarter of 2017, the Company changed the treatment of excess tax benefits as operating cash flows in the statement of cash flows. This ASU also stipulates that cash payments to tax authorities in connection with shares withheld to meet statutory tax withholding requirements be presented as a financing activity in the statement of cash flows. This ASU was adopted prospectively effective January 1, 2017; therefore, prior periods have not been restated to conform to the current period presentation.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Description of Business

Cousins Properties Incorporated (“Cousins”), a Georgia corporation, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”). Cousins conducts substantially all of its operations through Cousins Properties LP ("CPLP"). Cousins owns approximately 98% of CPLP and consolidates CPLP. Cousins TRS Services LLC ("CTRS"), which is wholly owned by CPLP, is a taxable entity which owns and manages its own real estate portfolio and performs certain real estate related services for other parties. Cousins, CPLP, CTRS, and their subsidiaries are hereinafter referred to collectively as "the Company."

The Company develops, acquires, leases, manages, and owns primarily Class A office assets and opportunistic mixed-use properties in Sunbelt markets with a focus on Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Cousins has elected to be taxed as a REIT and intends to, among other things, distribute 100% of its net taxable income to stockholders, thereby eliminating any liability for federal income taxes under current law. Therefore, the results included herein do not include a federal income tax provision for Cousins.

Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and were prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary (which adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature) for the fair presentation of the Company's financial position as of March 31, 2017 and the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results expected for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The accounting policies employed are substantially the same as those shown in note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included therein.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, there were no items of other comprehensive income. Therefore, no presentation of comprehensive income is required.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." Under the new guidance, companies will recognize revenue when the seller satisfies a performance obligation, which would be when the buyer takes control of the good or service. This new guidance could result in different amounts of revenue being recognized and could result in revenue being recognized in different reporting periods than under the current guidance. The new guidance specifically excludes revenue associated with lease contracts. ASU 2015-14, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers," was subsequently issued modifying the effective date to periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The standard allows for either "full retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or "modified retrospective" adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most recent period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently assessing this guidance for future implementation and potential impact of adoption. The Company expects to adopt this guidance using the "modified retrospective" method effective January 1, 2018.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases," which amends the existing standards for lease accounting by requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting and reporting. The new standard will require lessees to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months and classify such leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase of the leased asset by the lessee. This classification will determine whether the lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method (finance leases) or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease (operating leases). Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases, and operating leases. ASU 2016-02 supersedes previous leasing standards. The guidance is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt this guidance effective January 1, 2019, and is currently assessing the potential impact of adopting the new guidance. The Company expects to adopt this guidance using the "modified retrospective" method effective January 1, 2019.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments" ("ASU 2016-15") which updated ASC Topic 230, "Statement of Cash Flows." ASU 2016-15 clarifies guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows to reduce diversity in practice with respect to (i) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, (ii) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, (iii) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, (iv) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, (v) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, including bank-owned life insurance policies, (vi) distributions received from equity method investees, (vii) beneficial interests in securitization transactions, and (viii) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. ASU 2016-15 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company will adopt this ASU in fiscal year 2018, and anticipates no material changes as a result of the adoption.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, "Restricted Cash" ("ASU 2016-18") which updated ASC Topic 230, "Statement of Cash Flows." ASU 2016-18 will require companies to include restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, "Clarifying the Definition of a Business," which provides a more narrow definition of a business to be used in determining the accounting treatment of an acquisition. As a result, many acquisitions that previously qualified as business combinations will be treated as asset acquisitions. For asset acquisitions, acquisition costs may be capitalized, and the purchase price may be allocated on a relative fair value basis. ASU 2017-01 is effective prospectively for the Company on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects that most of its future acquisitions will qualify as asset acquisitions.

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." Under this ASU, the additional paid-in capital pool is eliminated, and an entity recognizes all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement. This ASU also eliminated the requirement to defer recognition of an excess tax benefit until all benefits are realized through a reduction to taxes payable. In the first quarter of 2017, the Company changed the treatment of excess tax benefits as operating cash flows in the statement of cash flows. This ASU also stipulates that cash payments to tax authorities in connection with shares withheld to meet statutory tax withholding requirements be presented as a financing activity in the statement of cash flows. This ASU was adopted prospectively effective January 1, 2017; therefore, prior periods have not been restated to conform to the current period presentation.