3. Fair Value and Gross Unrealized Losses with Unrealized Losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Price Change Debt Security	5.00%
Tolerable variance Level 2 debt security pricing	1.00%
Fair Value of Investments with Gross Unrealized Losses in loss position 12 months or more	$ 27.3	$ 117.9
Fair Value of Investments with Gross Unrealized Losses in loss position less than 12 months	90.3	193.0
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0.1	1.8
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	$ 0.2	$ 0.8

Price Change Debt Security

No definition available.

Name:	bio_PriceChangeDebtSecurity
Namespace Prefix:	bio_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Tolerable variance Level 2 debt security pricing

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bio_TolerablevarianceLevel2debtsecuritypricing
Namespace Prefix:	bio_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922890-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27337-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant