Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Nov. 07, 2018
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	TELOS CORP
Entity Central Index Key	0000320121
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Ex Transition Period	false
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2018
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2018
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		45,168,461
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		4,037,628