2.4.0.84050 - Disclosure - Credit Facilities (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$D2012Q1_M03http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131duration2012-03-01T00:00:002012-03-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2false falsefalseD2013Q2http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131duration2013-04-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli03false falsefalseD2012Q2http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131duration2012-04-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli04false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli05false falsefalseD2012Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli06false USDtruefalse$I2013Q2_LineOfCreditMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131instant2013-06-30T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseRevolving credit facilityus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_LineOfCreditMemberus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$7false USDtruefalse$I2012_LineOfCreditMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131instant2012-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseRevolving credit facilityus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_LineOfCreditMemberus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$8false USDtruefalse$I2012Q1_M0307_LineOfCreditMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001023131instant2012-03-07T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseRevolving credit facilityus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_LineOfCreditMemberus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 3us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItemsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Debt instrument disclosure2false 4us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacityus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse8truefalsefalse500000000500USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryMaximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 2, 4 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 22 -Article 5 false2Maximum borrowing capacity3false 4us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstandingus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6truefalsefalse325000000325.0falsefalsefalse7truefalsefalse320000000320.0falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 22 -Article 5 false2Outstanding borrowings4false 4us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmountus-gaap_truecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6truefalsefalse29000002.9falsefalsefalse7truefalsefalse29000002.9falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.No definition available.false2Outstanding letters of credit5false 4us-gaap_DebtInstrumentDescriptionOfVariableRateBasisus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00London Interbank Offered Ratefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00London Interbank Offered Ratefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringThe reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.No definition available.false0Credit agreement, base rate6false 4us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRateus-gaap_truenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.02000.0200falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.01250.0125falsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.01250.0125falsefalsefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.No definition available.false0Credit agreement, base rate margin (as a percent)7false 4us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateDuringPeriodus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.01460.0146falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.01500.0150falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.01460.0146falsefalsefalse5truetruefalse0.01680.0168falsefalsefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe average effective interest rate during the reporting period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 false0Approximate interest on outstanding borrowings (as a percent)8false 4cvd_CreditAgreementFeescvd_falsedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse19000001.9USD$falsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of fees associated with the Credit Agreement which consisted primarily of bank and legal fees.No definition available.false2Credit Agreement fees9false 4cvd_CreditAgreementFeesAmortizationPeriodcvd_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse005 yearsfalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:durationItemTypenaRepresents the life of the financing arrangement over which credit agreement fees incurred will be amortized.No definition available.false0Term of amortization10false 4cvd_PercentageOfCapitalStockOfForeignSubsidiariesPledgedcvd_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.650.65falsefalsefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse7falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse8falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureRepresents the percentage of capital stock of foreign subsidiaries pledged to secure borrowings under the Credit Agreement.No definition available.false0Capital stock of foreign subsidiaries pledged (as a percent)falseCredit Facilities (Details) (USD $)HundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.covance.com/role/DisclosureCreditFacilitiesDetails810