Marketable Securities - Available-for-Sale Marketable Securities (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Feb. 14, 2015	Aug. 30, 2014
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 87,222	$ 85,138
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	166	210
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(184)	(93)
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Fair Value	87,204us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	85,255us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Corporate Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	35,977	37,265
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	116	137
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(31)	(15)
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Fair Value	36,062	37,387
Government Bonds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	28,804	16,822
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	28	16
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(16)	(1)
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Fair Value	28,816	16,837
Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	10,629	8,791
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	14	22
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(130)	(77)
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Fair Value	10,513	8,736
Asset-Backed Securities and Other [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	11,812	22,260
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	8	35
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(7)	0
Available-For-Sale Marketable Securities, Fair Value	$ 11,813	$ 22,295

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (aa)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before tax of unrealized gain in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before tax of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=azo_AssetBackedSecuritiesAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: