Organization, Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization, Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Organization, Description of Business and Basis of Presentation United Rentals, Inc. (“Holdings,” “URI” or the “Company”) is principally a holding company and conducts its operations primarily through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Rentals (North America), Inc. (“URNA”), and subsidiaries of URNA. Holdings’ primary asset is its sole ownership of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of URNA. URNA’s various credit agreements and debt instruments place restrictions on its ability to transfer funds to its shareholder. We rent equipment to a diverse customer base that includes construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and government entities in the United States and Canada. In addition to renting equipment, we sell new and used rental equipment, as well as related contractor supplies, parts and service. We have prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the accounting policies described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the “2014 Form 10-K”) and the interim reporting requirements of Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the 2014 Form 10-K. In our opinion, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary for a fair presentation of financial condition, operating results and cash flows for the interim periods presented have been made. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results of the full year. New Accounting Pronouncements Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue. This guidance includes the required steps to achieve the core principle that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has agreed to a one-year deferral of the original effective date of this guidance and as a result it will be effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The FASB's update allows entities to apply the new guidance as of the original effective date (for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016). We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and the impact on our financial statements is not currently estimable. Interest—Imputation of Interest. In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance on the presentation of debt issuance costs. This guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted, and we plan to adopt this guidance during the fourth quarter of 2015. We do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements, although it will change the financial statement classification of our debt issuance costs. As of September 30, 2015, $86 of net debt issuance costs were included in total assets in our condensed consolidated balance sheet. Under the new guidance, the net debt issuance costs would reduce the total debt shown on our balance sheet. Inventory. In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance that requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Current GAAP requires that an entity measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, and market under current GAAP could be replacement cost, net realizable value, or net realizable value less a normal profit margin. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and requires prospective application. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements. Business Combinations. In September 2015, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the accounting for adjustments made during the measurement period to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination. This guidance requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the period in which the adjustment amount is determined. The acquirer is required to also record, in the same period’s financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. In addition the acquirer is required to present separately on the face of the income statement or disclose in the notes to the financial statements the portion of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires prospective application. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements.

Organization, Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

United Rentals, Inc. (“Holdings,” “URI” or the “Company”) is principally a holding company and conducts its operations primarily through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Rentals (North America), Inc. (“URNA”), and subsidiaries of URNA. Holdings’ primary asset is its sole ownership of all issued and outstanding shares of common stock of URNA. URNA’s various credit agreements and debt instruments place restrictions on its ability to transfer funds to its shareholder.

We rent equipment to a diverse customer base that includes construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners and government entities in the United States and Canada. In addition to renting equipment, we sell new and used rental equipment, as well as related contractor supplies, parts and service.

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the accounting policies described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (the “2014 Form 10-K”) and the interim reporting requirements of Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the 2014 Form 10-K.

In our opinion, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary for a fair presentation of financial condition, operating results and cash flows for the interim periods presented have been made. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results of the full year.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue. This guidance includes the required steps to achieve the core principle that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has agreed to a one-year deferral of the original effective date of this guidance and as a result it will be effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The FASB's update allows entities to apply the new guidance as of the original effective date (for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016). We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and the impact on our financial statements is not currently estimable.

Interest—Imputation of Interest. In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance on the presentation of debt issuance costs. This guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted, and we plan to adopt this guidance during the fourth quarter of 2015. We do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements, although it will change the financial statement classification of our debt issuance costs. As of September 30, 2015, $86 of net debt issuance costs were included in total assets in our condensed consolidated balance sheet. Under the new guidance, the net debt issuance costs would reduce the total debt shown on our balance sheet.

Inventory. In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance that requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Current GAAP requires that an entity measure inventory at the lower of cost or market, and market under current GAAP could be replacement cost, net realizable value, or net realizable value less a normal profit margin. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and requires prospective application. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements.

Business Combinations. In September 2015, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the accounting for adjustments made during the measurement period to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination. This guidance requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the period in which the adjustment amount is determined. The acquirer is required to also record, in the same period’s financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. In addition the acquirer is required to present separately on the face of the income statement or disclose in the notes to the financial statements the portion of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and requires prospective application. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this guidance when effective, and do not expect this guidance to have a significant impact on our financial statements.