Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Unaudited Quarterly Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 715.8	$ 297.5	$ 856.1	$ 1,136.8	$ 839.1	$ 755.0	$ 1,138.8	$ 1,147.4	$ 3,006.2	$ 3,880.3	$ 4,441.2
Expenses	802.5	795.3	843.6	1,027.0	928.7	705.1	1,042.6	1,099.0	3,468.4	3,775.4	3,693.9
Other income	(71.4)	(31.3)	461.6	505.5	(107.5)	125.5	445.0	424.0	864.4	887.0	696.7
Income before provision for income taxes	(158.1)	(529.1)	474.1	615.3	(197.1)	175.4	541.2	472.4	402.2	991.9	1,444.0
Net income	(147.8)	(525.0)	468.1	604.8	(210.0)	181.3	487.4	456.4	400.1	915.1	1,347.8
Net income (loss) attributable to The Carlyle Group L.P.	$ (4.6)	$ (83.9)	$ 30.6	$ 39.5	$ 16.3	$ 25.4	$ 19.5	$ 24.6	$ (18.4)	$ 85.8	$ 104.1
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.06)	$ (1.05)	$ 0.42	$ 0.58	$ 0.24	$ 0.38	$ 0.30	$ 0.46	$ (0.24)	$ 1.35	$ 2.24
Diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.06)	(1.11)	0.34	0.54	0.23	0.35	0.27	0.41	(0.30)	1.23	2.05
Distributions declared per common unit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.56	$ 0.89	$ 0.33	$ 1.61	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 1.40	$ 3.39	$ 1.88	$ 1.33