Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	10. Income Taxes Effective tax rates for continuing operations were 26.1% and 28.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. These rates were impacted by net discrete items, principally the effect of the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 signed into law on January 2, 2013 and settlements with U.S. federal, international and state taxing authorities, totaling $4,525 of favorable net discrete items in 2013 and $1,610 of unfavorable net discrete items in 2012. Excluding these discrete items, the comparable effective tax rate was 27.8% for the each of the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012. The current year pre-discrete rate was favorably impacted by reinstatement of the U.S. Research and Experimentation tax credit, offset by a higher mix of U.S. based earnings in the current period. Dover and its subsidiaries file tax returns in the U.S., including various state and local returns, and in other foreign jurisdictions. We believe adequate provision has been made for all income tax uncertainties. The Company is routinely audited by taxing authorities in its filing jurisdictions, and a number of these audits are currently underway. We believe within the next twelve months that uncertain tax positions may be resolved and statute of limitations will expire, which could result in a decrease in the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $90 to $140 million, of which a portion will be reported as discontinued operations.

Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

10. Income Taxes

Effective tax rates for continuing operations were 26.1% and 28.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. These rates were impacted by net discrete items, principally the effect of the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 signed into law on January 2, 2013 and settlements with U.S. federal, international and state taxing authorities, totaling $4,525 of favorable net discrete items in 2013 and $1,610 of unfavorable net discrete items in 2012. Excluding these discrete items, the comparable effective tax rate was 27.8% for the each of the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012. The current year pre-discrete rate was favorably impacted by reinstatement of the U.S. Research and Experimentation tax credit, offset by a higher mix of U.S. based earnings in the current period.

Dover and its subsidiaries file tax returns in the U.S., including various state and local returns, and in other foreign jurisdictions. We believe adequate provision has been made for all income tax uncertainties. The Company is routinely audited by taxing authorities in its filing jurisdictions, and a number of these audits are currently underway. We believe within the next twelve months that uncertain tax positions may be resolved and statute of limitations will expire, which could result in a decrease in the gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits of approximately $90 to $140 million, of which a portion will be reported as discontinued operations.