Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Rental properties, net	$ 3,214,347	$ 3,025,199
Land held for development	22,530	23,610
Property under development	266,574	378,920
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	457,429	423,780
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	191,720	190,880
Investment in joint ventures	5,869	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	10,980	4,283	$ 102,206	$ 3,336
Restricted cash	23,428	10,578
Accounts receivable, net	62,403	59,101
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	88,260	94,751
Total assets	4,343,540	4,217,270
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	77,523	92,178
Dividends payable	26,221	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	56,627	44,952
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	1,996,131	1,981,920
Total liabilities	2,156,502	2,143,402
Total equity	2,187,038	2,073,868
Total liabilities and equity	4,343,540	4,217,270
Consolidated Elimination [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	0	0
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Intercompany notes receivable	(175,757)	(175,757)
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,946,482)	(3,825,897)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(4,122,239)	(4,001,654)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(175,757)	(175,757)
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(175,757)	(175,757)
Total equity	(3,946,482)	(3,825,897)
Total liabilities and equity	(4,122,239)	(4,001,654)
EPR Properties (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	0
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	0	0
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	7,519	1,089	95,777	(1,234)
Restricted cash	525	475
Accounts receivable, net	298	285
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	3,946,482	3,825,897
Other assets	23,002	23,053
Total assets	3,977,826	3,850,799
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	39,918	49,671
Dividends payable	26,221	24,352
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	1,724,649	1,702,908
Total liabilities	1,790,788	1,776,931
Total equity	2,187,038	2,073,868
Total liabilities and equity	3,977,826	3,850,799
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	2,515,063	2,485,411
Land held for development	1,258	1,258
Property under development	185,424	152,197
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	454,729	400,935
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	191,720	190,880
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	753	735	1,411	840
Restricted cash	20,803	8,220
Accounts receivable, net	50,003	47,502
Intercompany notes receivable	175,757	175,757
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	11,337	10,607
Total assets	3,606,847	3,473,502
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	33,742	38,759
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	48,316	35,512
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	82,058	74,271
Total equity	3,524,789	3,399,231
Total liabilities and equity	3,606,847	3,473,502
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	699,284	539,788
Land held for development	21,272	22,352
Property under development	81,150	226,723
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	2,700	22,845
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	5,869	6,168
Cash and cash equivalents	2,708	2,459	$ 5,018	$ 3,730
Restricted cash	2,100	1,883
Accounts receivable, net	12,102	11,314
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	53,921	61,091
Total assets	881,106	894,623
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,863	3,748
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	8,311	9,440
Intercompany notes payable	175,757	175,757
Debt	271,482	279,012
Total liabilities	459,413	467,957
Total equity	421,693	426,666
Total liabilities and equity	$ 881,106	$ 894,623