1. Significant Accounting Policies Immaterial Error & Reclassifications (Details) (USD $)								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cost of goods sold, immaterial error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gross Profit, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Selling, General And Administrative Expense, Immaterial Error [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Research and development expense, reclassification [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income From Operations [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Income Before Income Taxes [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Provision for income taxes [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Including Noncontrolling Interests [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Attributable To Bio-Rad [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Basic Share [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Net Income Per Diluted Share [Member] Scenario, Actual [Member]
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Finished goods	$ 265,689,000	$ 237,374,000			$ 230,624,000	$ 6,750,000	$ 237,374,000
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements, Amount								915,097,000	895,640,000	(1,020,000)	(940,000)	914,077,000	894,700,000	1,154,138,000	1,177,889,000	1,020,000	940,000	1,155,158,000	1,178,829,000	682,898,000	696,294,000	(1,120,000)	(310,000)	681,778,000	695,984,000	214,040,000	186,439,000	(4,836,000)	(8,835,000)	209,204,000	177,604,000	257,200,000	295,156,000	6,976,000	10,085,000	264,176,000	305,241,000	222,931,000	235,762,000	6,976,000	10,085,000	229,907,000	245,847,000	59,084,000	57,739,000	5,277,000	9,295,000	64,361,000	67,034,000	163,847,000	178,023,000	1,699,000	790,000	165,546,000	178,813,000	163,778,000	178,223,000	1,699,000	790,000	165,477,000	179,013,000	5.79	6.36	0.06	0.03	5.85	6.39	5.72	6.26	0.06	0.03	5.78	6.29
Inventory, Net	501,291,000	455,120,000			448,370,000	6,750,000	455,120,000
Assets, Current	1,747,856,000	1,936,682,000			1,929,932,000	6,750,000	1,936,682,000
Total assets	3,388,790,000	3,443,503,000			3,436,753,000	6,750,000	3,443,503,000
Income and other taxes payable	33,555,000	34,779,000			32,299,000	2,480,000	34,779,000
Liabilities, Current	487,472,000	472,400,000			469,920,000	2,480,000	472,400,000
Liabilities	1,202,068,000	1,427,963,000			1,425,483,000	2,480,000	1,427,963,000
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	2,186,722,000	2,015,540,000	1,747,322,000	1,540,519,000	2,011,270,000	4,270,000	2,015,540,000
Liabilities and Equity	$ 3,388,790,000	$ 3,443,503,000			$ 3,436,753,000	$ 6,750,000	$ 3,443,503,000