Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Rental properties, net	$ 4,535,994	$ 3,595,762
Land held for development	33,674	22,530
Property under development	284,211	297,110
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	972,371	613,978
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	57,698	102,698
Investment in joint ventures	5,616	5,972
Cash and cash equivalents	11,412	19,335	$ 7,311	$ 4,283
Restricted cash	24,323	9,744
Accounts receivable, net	99,213	98,939
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	108,498	98,954
Total assets	6,133,010	4,865,022
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	140,582	119,758
Dividends payable	30,997	26,318
Unearned rents and interest	85,198	47,420
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,987,925	2,485,625
Total liabilities	3,244,702	2,679,121
Total equity	2,888,308	2,185,901
Total liabilities and equity	6,133,010	4,865,022
EPR Properties (Issuer) [Member]
Rental properties, net	0	0
Land held for development	0	0
Property under development	0	1,010
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	8,788	16,586	4,551	1,089
Restricted cash	395	365
Accounts receivable, net	675	556
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5,892,529	4,521,095
Other assets	26,485	21,768
Total assets	5,928,872	4,561,380
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	58,308	63,431
Dividends payable	30,997	26,318
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	2,951,259	2,285,730
Total liabilities	3,040,564	2,375,479
Total equity	2,888,308	2,185,901
Total liabilities and equity	5,928,872	4,561,380
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Rental properties, net	3,640,225	3,164,622
Land held for development	12,402	1,258
Property under development	236,916	247,239
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	963,738	612,141
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	57,698	102,698
Investment in joint ventures	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	1,472	1,157	737	1,289
Restricted cash	23,599	8,352
Accounts receivable, net	89,230	89,145
Intercompany notes receivable	179,589	179,589
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	32,417	23,068
Total assets	5,237,286	4,429,269
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	65,910	52,061
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	69,615	46,647
Intercompany notes payable	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	135,525	98,708
Total equity	5,101,761	4,330,561
Total liabilities and equity	5,237,286	4,429,269
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Rental properties, net	895,769	431,140
Land held for development	21,272	21,272
Property under development	47,295	48,861
Mortgage notes and related accrued interest receivable	8,633	1,837
Investment in a direct financing lease, net	0	0
Investment in joint ventures	5,616	5,972
Cash and cash equivalents	1,152	1,592	$ 2,023	$ 1,905
Restricted cash	329	1,027
Accounts receivable, net	9,308	9,238
Intercompany notes receivable	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Other assets	49,596	54,118
Total assets	1,038,970	575,057
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	16,364	4,266
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	15,583	773
Intercompany notes payable	179,589	179,589
Debt	36,666	199,895
Total liabilities	248,202	384,523
Total equity	790,768	190,534
Total liabilities and equity	1,038,970	575,057
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	(179,589)	(179,589)
Investments in subsidiaries	(5,892,529)	(4,521,095)
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(6,072,118)	(4,700,684)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Dividends payable	0	0
Unearned rents and interest	0	0
Intercompany notes payable	(179,589)	(179,589)
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	(179,589)	(179,589)
Total equity	(5,892,529)	(4,521,095)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (6,072,118)	$ (4,700,684)