Revision of Prior Period Financial Statements Revised Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended		9 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	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 496,448	$ 469,528	$ 470,811	$ 446,746	$ 510,521	$ 482,352	$ 482,314	$ 472,429	$ 917,557	$ 954,743	$ 1,387,085	$ 1,437,095	$ 1,883,533	$ 1,947,616	$ 1,938,025
Cost of revenues		322,238	352,257	308,324		337,053	321,627	319,606	660,581	641,233	982,819	978,286	1,326,848	1,333,566	1,323,257
Gross profit	152,419	147,290	118,554	138,422	155,241	145,299	160,687	152,823	256,976	313,510	404,266	458,809	556,685	614,050	614,768
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing		39,217	43,058	41,027		44,559	45,371	45,609	84,085	90,980	123,302	135,539	161,380	182,503	182,687
Product development		41,559	43,318	41,522		42,357	43,958	44,434	84,840	88,392	126,399	130,749	162,334	175,500	175,420
General and administrative		31,118	32,492	39,585		36,603	38,029	39,864	72,077	77,893	103,195	114,496	155,715	162,466	143,932
Amortization of Intangible Assets		7,869	7,888	7,973		10,917	11,109	11,070	15,861	22,179	23,730	33,096	31,673	43,619	42,019
Costs incurred (released) and charged to expense		587	(4,234)	(5,181)		57	(8,657)	6,383	(9,415)	(2,274)	(8,828)	(2,217)	(7,263)	49,482	36,347
Goodwill, Impairment Loss		0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	174,226
Total operating expenses		120,350	122,522	124,926		134,493	129,810	147,360	247,448	277,170	367,798	411,663	503,839	613,570	754,631
Operating income (loss)		26,940	(3,968)	13,496		10,806	30,877	5,463	9,528	36,340	36,468	47,146	52,846	480	(139,863)
Other income (expense)
Interest income		180	212	48		163	53	97	260	150	440	313	761	494	1,152
Interest Expense		(2,799)	(3,855)	(2,682)		(3,015)	(2,912)	(2,910)	(6,537)	(5,822)	(9,336)	(8,837)	(12,289)	(11,602)	(10,686)
Other income (expense), net		(1,119)	(1,905)	21		(1,567)	(1,374)	(2,503)	(1,884)	(3,877)	(3,003)	(5,444)	(4,216)	(7,637)	(4,003)
Total other income (expense)		(3,738)	(5,548)	(2,613)		(4,419)	(4,233)	(5,316)	(8,161)	(9,549)	(11,899)	(13,968)	(15,744)	(18,745)	(13,537)
Income (loss) before income taxes		23,202	(9,516)	10,883		6,387	26,644	147	1,367	26,791	24,569	33,178	37,102	(18,265)	(153,400)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(9,932)	(4,098)	(5,030)		(2,557)	(5,223)	(1,061)	(9,128)	(6,284)	(19,060)	(8,841)	(22,099)	(4,035)	2,466
Net income (loss)		13,270	(13,614)	5,853		3,830	21,421	(914)	(7,761)	20,507	5,509	24,337	15,003	(22,300)	(150,934)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		630	732	455		245	585	136	1,187	721	1,817	966	2,325	1,370	2,219
Net income (loss) attributable to Itron, Inc.	$ 8,986	$ 12,640	$ (14,346)	$ 5,398	$ (47,041)	$ 3,585	$ 20,836	$ (1,050)	$ (8,948)	$ 19,786	$ 3,692	$ 23,371	$ 12,678	$ (23,670)	$ (153,153)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic	$ 0.23	$ 0.33	$ (0.37)	$ 0.14	$ (1.21)	$ 0.09	$ 0.53	$ (0.03)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.50	$ 0.10	$ 0.60	$ 0.33	$ (0.60)	$ (3.90)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted	$ 0.23	$ 0.33	$ (0.37)	$ 0.14	$ (1.21)	$ 0.09	$ 0.53	$ (0.03)	$ (0.23)	$ 0.50	$ 0.10	$ 0.59	$ 0.33	$ (0.60)	$ (3.90)
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic		38,114	38,434	38,442		39,213	39,356	39,235	38,438	39,296	38,329	39,268	38,224	39,184	39,281
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted		38,358	38,434	38,758		39,493	39,544	39,235	38,438	39,528	38,591	39,516	38,506	39,184	39,281
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 469,092	$ 470,103	$ 448,247		$ 496,454	$ 489,353	$ 474,795	$ 918,350	$ 964,148	$ 1,387,442	$ 1,460,602		$ 1,970,697	$ 1,948,728
Cost of revenues		322,126	351,532	310,048		345,692	326,312	320,260	661,580	646,572	983,706	992,264		1,347,572	1,334,195
Gross profit		146,966	118,571	138,199		150,762	163,041	154,535	256,770	317,576	403,736	468,338		623,125	614,533
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing		39,217	43,058	41,027		44,484	46,119	47,609	84,085	93,728	123,302	138,212		185,239	180,371
Product development		41,559	43,318	41,522		42,303	43,999	44,409	84,840	88,408	126,399	130,711		175,500	176,019
General and administrative		31,118	32,492	39,585		36,542	37,680	40,407	72,077	78,087	103,195	114,629		163,101	142,559
Amortization of Intangible Assets		7,869	7,888	7,973		10,917	11,109	11,070	15,861	22,179	23,730	33,096		43,619	42,019
Costs incurred (released) and charged to expense		(5)	(4,234)	(5,447)		58	(7,793)	5,524	(9,681)	(2,269)	(9,686)	(2,211)		50,857	35,497
Goodwill, Impairment Loss		0	0	0		0	0	977	0	977	0	977		977	173,249
Total operating expenses		119,758	122,522	124,660		134,304	131,114	149,996	247,182	281,110	366,940	415,414		619,293	749,714
Operating income (loss)		27,208	(3,951)	13,539		16,458	31,927	4,539	9,588	36,466	36,796	52,924		3,832	(135,181)
Other income (expense)
Interest income		180	213	47		163	53	97	260	150	440	313		494	1,620
Interest Expense		(2,799)	(3,855)	(2,682)		(3,015)	(2,913)	(2,909)	(6,537)	(5,822)	(9,336)	(8,837)		(11,602)	(10,686)
Other income (expense), net		(1,120)	(1,907)	24		(1,569)	(1,375)	(2,498)	(1,883)	(3,873)	(3,003)	(5,442)		(7,633)	(4,007)
Total other income (expense)		(3,739)	(5,549)	(2,611)		(4,421)	(4,235)	(5,310)	(8,160)	(9,545)	(11,899)	(13,966)		(18,741)	(13,073)
Income (loss) before income taxes		23,469	(9,500)	10,928		12,037	27,692	(771)	1,428	26,921	24,897	38,958		(14,909)	(148,254)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(10,144)	(3,966)	(5,563)		(4,484)	(7,848)	653	(9,529)	(7,195)	(19,673)	(11,679)		(6,641)	3,664
Net income (loss)		13,325	(13,466)	5,365		7,553	19,844	(118)	(8,101)	19,726	5,224	27,279		(21,550)	(144,590)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		630	732	455		245	585	136	1,187	721	1,817	966		1,370	2,219
Net income (loss) attributable to Itron, Inc.		$ 12,695	$ (14,198)	$ 4,910		$ 7,308	$ 19,259	$ (254)	$ (9,288)	$ 19,005	$ 3,407	$ 26,313		$ (22,920)	$ (146,809)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic		$ 0.33	$ (0.37)	$ 0.13		$ 0.19	$ 0.49	$ (0.01)	$ (0.24)	$ 0.48	$ 0.09	$ 0.67		$ (0.58)	$ (3.74)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted		$ 0.33	$ (0.37)	$ 0.13		$ 0.19	$ 0.49	$ (0.01)	$ (0.24)	$ 0.48	$ 0.09	$ 0.67		$ (0.58)	$ (3.74)
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic		38,114	38,434	38,442		39,213	39,356	39,235	38,438	39,296	38,329	39,268		39,184	39,281
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted		38,358	38,434	38,758		39,493	39,544	39,235	38,438	39,528	38,591	39,516		39,184	39,281
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 436	$ 708	$ (1,501)		$ (14,102)	$ (7,039)	$ (2,366)	$ (793)	$ (9,405)	$ (357)	$ (23,507)		$ (23,081)	$ (10,703)
Cost of revenues		112	725	(1,724)		(8,639)	(4,685)	(654)	(999)	(5,339)	(887)	(13,978)		(14,006)	(10,938)
Gross profit		324	(17)	223		(5,463)	(2,354)	(1,712)	206	(4,066)	530	(9,529)		(9,075)	235
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing		0	0	0		75	(748)	(2,000)	0	(2,748)	0	(2,673)		(2,736)	2,316
Product development		0	0	0		54	(41)	25	0	(16)	0	38		0	(599)
General and administrative		0	0	0		61	349	(543)	0	(194)	0	(133)		(635)	1,373
Amortization of Intangible Assets		0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0
Costs incurred (released) and charged to expense		592	0	266		(1)	(864)	859	266	(5)	858	(6)		(1,375)	850
Goodwill, Impairment Loss		0	0	0		0	0	(977)	0	(977)	0	(977)		(977)	977
Total operating expenses		592	0	266		189	(1,304)	(2,636)	266	(3,940)	858	(3,751)		(5,723)	4,917
Operating income (loss)		(268)	(17)	(43)		(5,652)	(1,050)	924	(60)	(126)	(328)	(5,778)		(3,352)	(4,682)
Other income (expense)
Interest income		0	(1)	1		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	(468)
Interest Expense		0	0	0		0	1	(1)	0	0	0	0		0	0
Other income (expense), net		1	2	(3)		2	1	(5)	(1)	(4)	0	(2)		(4)	4
Total other income (expense)		1	1	(2)		2	2	(6)	(1)	(4)	0	(2)		(4)	(464)
Income (loss) before income taxes		(267)	(16)	(45)		(5,650)	(1,048)	918	(61)	(130)	(328)	(5,780)		(3,356)	(5,146)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		212	(132)	533		1,927	2,625	(1,714)	401	911	613	2,838		2,606	(1,198)
Net income (loss)		(55)	(148)	488		(3,723)	1,577	(796)	340	781	285	(2,942)		(750)	(6,344)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Itron, Inc.		$ (55)	$ (148)	$ 488		$ (3,723)	$ 1,577	$ (796)	$ 340	$ 781	$ 285	$ (2,942)		$ (750)	$ (6,344)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Basic		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01		$ (0.10)	$ 0.04	$ (0.02)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.01	$ (0.07)		$ (0.02)	$ (0.16)
Earnings (loss) per common share - Diluted		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01		$ (0.10)	$ 0.04	$ (0.02)	$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.01	$ (0.08)		$ (0.02)	$ (0.16)
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Basic		0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0
Weighted average common shares outstanding - Diluted		0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0