Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2017
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy	The fair value of our long-term, fixed-rate loans were estimated using market prices for those loans, and therefore they are classified within Level 2 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The Term Loan, Bank Credit Facility agreement, and the mortgage and other debt are classified within Level 3 of the fair value measurements hierarchy. The fair value of these instruments has been estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on our incremental borrowing rate for similar borrowing arrangements.
Segment Reporting, Policy	Our operations are both product-based and geographically-based, and the reportable operating segments presented below include our funeral and cemetery operations.
Consolidation, Policy	Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Service Corporation International (SCI) and all subsidiaries in which we hold a controlling financial interest. Our financial statements also include the accounts of the merchandise and service trusts and cemetery perpetual care trusts in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary. Our interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited but include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals and any other adjustments, which management considers necessary for a fair statement of our results for these periods. Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in a manner consistent with the accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, unless otherwise disclosed herein, and should be read in conjunction therewith. The accompanying year-end condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year period.
Use of Estimates, Policy	Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. These estimates and assumptions may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Accounting Standards Adopted in 2017 Stock Compensation In March 2016, the FASB amended "Stock Compensation", modifying certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, which requires the tax effects related to share-based payments to be recorded through the income statement, simplifies the accounting requirements for forfeitures and employers' tax withholding requirements, and modifies the presentation of certain items on the statement of cash flows. The guidance requires the tax effect related to the settlement of share-based awards be included in income tax benefit or expense in the statement of operations rather than in additional paid-in-capital. This guidance also eliminates the requirement to reclassify excess tax benefits from operating activities to financing activities within the statement of cash flows. We adopted the new guidance in the first quarter of 2017, as required, and the impact of the restricted stock deliveries and option exercises in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 was a reduction to our provision for income taxes of $7.6 million and $16.9 million, respectively. Prior periods have not been retrospectively adjusted for adoption of this guidance. The remaining amendments to this standard, as noted above, are either not applicable or do not change our current accounting practices and thus do not impact our consolidated financial statements, including our consolidated statement of cash flows. Inventory In July 2015, the FASB amended "Inventory" to state that an entity using an inventory method other than last-in, first out ("LIFO") or the retail inventory method should measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The new guidance clarifies that net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The new guidance was effective for us on January 1, 2017 and our adoption did not materially impact our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, or cash flows. Recently Issued Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued "Revenue from Contracts with Customers", which replaces existing revenue recognition guidance. During 2016, the FASB made several amendments to the new standard that clarified guidance on several matters, including principal vs. agent considerations, identifying performance obligations, sales taxes, and licensing. The new standard, as amended, requires that we recognize revenue in the amount to which we expect to be entitled for delivery of promised goods and services to our customers. The new standard will also result in enhanced revenue-related disclosures, including any significant judgments and changes in judgments. Additionally, the new standard requires the deferral of incremental selling costs to the period in which the related revenue is recognized. The new standard will be effective for us beginning January 1, 2018. We intend to implement the standard with the modified retrospective approach, which recognizes the cumulative effect of adoption recognized on that date. We established a cross-functional team and analyzed the impact on our contract portfolio by reviewing our revenue streams and our current policies and procedures to identify potential differences that would result from applying the requirements of the new standard to our contracts. The implementation team reports findings and progress of the project to management on a frequent basis. Through this process, we have identified appropriate changes to our processes, systems, and controls to support recognition and disclosure under the new standard. In the first nine months of 2017, we made significant progress towards completing our evaluation of the potential changes from adopting the new standard on our future reporting and disclosures. We also made progress on our contract reviews and policy amendments, including developing a process for the systemic application of the standard to existing undelivered performance obligations at adoption. Additionally, we began making programming changes to our point of sale system to accommodate recognition and disclosure under the new standard. During the third quarter, we began testing these changes to ensure the updated system functions as intended. Finally, we have identified and begun designing additional controls around new processes that will be implemented upon adoption of the new standard. We cannot determine the cumulative effect prior to adoption as the delivery of the performance obligations is not under our control. We do not know which services will be performed or merchandise will be delivered on existing contracts during the fourth quarter of 2017. We have not fully determined the ongoing financial impact of the new standard to our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. However, we have concluded that the standard will impact the manner in which we recognize a) certain nonrefundable up-front fees and b) incremental costs to acquire new preneed funeral trust contracts and preneed and atneed cemetery contracts (i.e., selling costs). The nonrefundable fees will be deferred and recognized as revenue when the related goods and services are delivered to the customer. The incremental selling costs will be deferred and recognized by specific identification based on the delivery of the respective goods and services. Additionally, we believe the amounts due from customers for undelivered performance obligations on cancelable preneed contracts represent contract assets, which are required to be netted with deferred revenue, instead of preneed receivables on our consolidated balance sheet. We will continue to expense costs to acquire new preneed funeral insurance contracts in the period incurred. The insurance contracts are not, and will not be, reflected in our Consolidated Balance Sheet because they do not represent assets or liabilities, as we have no claim to the insurance proceeds until the contract is fulfilled and no obligation under the contract until the benefits are assigned to us at the time of need. Financial Instruments In January 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide additional guidance on the recognition and measurement of financial assets and liabilities. The amendment requires investments in equity instruments to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value reflected in net income. We will continue to defer the recognition of this income until we provide the related service or deliver the related merchandise. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018, and we do not expect a material impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. In June 2016, the FASB amended "Financial Instruments" to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on debt instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. This amendment replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in the current standard with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to support credit loss estimates. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2020, and we are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Leases In February 2016, the FASB amended "Leases" to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. Under the new standard, an entity will be required to recognize lease assets and liabilities on its balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. In addition, the new standard offers specific accounting guidance for a lessee, a lessor, and sale and leaseback transactions. Lessees and lessors are required to disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements to enable a user of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. This new standard will be effective for us on January 1, 2019. We are in the process of reviewing our existing leases, have selected a software solution, and are assessing process changes as a result of the new guidance. We are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Cash Flow In August and November 2016, the FASB amended "Statement of Cash Flows" to clarify guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments. Additionally, the guidance requires that the statement of cash flows reflects changes in restricted cash in addition to cash and cash equivalents. Amended guidance includes clarification on debt prepayment and extinguishment costs, contingent consideration in business combinations, proceeds from insurance claims, and premium payments on company-owned life insurance. The guidance requires these presentation changes to be made retrospectively to all consolidated statements of cash flows presented after the new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018. We are still evaluating the impact of adoption on our consolidated statement of cash flows. Goodwill In January 2017, the FASB amended "Goodwill" to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. Amended guidance eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Instead, impairment is defined as the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, up to the total amount of goodwill. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2020, and is not expected to have an impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Retirement Plans In March 2017, the FASB amended "Retirement Plans" to improve the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost by requiring the classification of interest costs and actuarial gains and losses separately from operating income on the consolidated statement of operations. The guidance requires these presentation changes to be made retrospectively to all consolidated statements of operations presented after the new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018. We intend to apply the practical expedient of reclassifying the amounts previously disclosed as "total net periodic benefit cost" in Note 14 of our 2016 Form 10-K from operating income to other income. Adoption is not expected to have an impact on our results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows. Stock Compensation In May 2017, the FASB amended "Stock Compensation" to clarify which changes in terms and conditions of share-based awards require accounting for as modifications. Under the new guidance, modification accounting is required only if the fair value, vesting conditions, or the classification of the award (as equity or liability) changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. The new guidance is effective for us on January 1, 2018 and is not expected to have an impact on our consolidated results of operations, consolidated financial position, and cash flows.