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R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund’s investment objective is to provide you with a high level of current income exempt from regular federal income tax.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and expenses of the fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s investment results. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 30% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 30.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.


The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same.
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

In seeking to achieve its objective, the fund may forego opportunities that would result in capital gains and may accept prudent risks to capital value, in each case to take advantage of opportunities for higher current income.


Under normal circumstances, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in, or derive at least 80% of its income from, securities that are exempt from regular federal income tax and may subject you to alternative minimum tax. The fund may invest, without limitation, in securities that may subject you to federal alternative minimum tax. The fund invests at least 50% of its portfolio in debt securities rated BBB+ or below or Baa1 or below by Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations designated by the fund’s investment adviser, or unrated but determined by the fund’s investment adviser to be of equivalent quality. Securities rated BB+ or below and Ba1 or below are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds.” Some of the securities in which the fund invests may have credit and liquidity support features, including guarantees and letters of credit.


The investment adviser uses a system of multiple portfolio managers in managing the fund’s assets. Under this approach, the portfolio of the fund is divided into segments managed by individual managers who decide how their respective segments will be invested.


The fund relies on the professional judgment of its investment adviser to make decisions about the fund’s portfolio investments. The basic investment philosophy of the investment adviser is to seek to invest in attractively priced securities that, in its opinion, represent good, long-term investment opportunities. The investment adviser believes that an important way to accomplish this is by analyzing various factors, which may include the credit strength of the issuer, prices of similar securities issued by comparable issuers, anticipated changes in interest rates, general market conditions and other factors pertinent to the particular security being evaluated. Securities may be sold when the investment adviser believes that they no longer represent relatively attractive investment opportunities.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

This section describes the principal risks associated with the fund’s principal investment strategies. You may lose money by investing in the fund. The likelihood of loss may be greater if you invest for a shorter period of time.


Market conditions — The prices of, and the income generated by, the securities held by the fund may decline – sometimes rapidly or unpredictably – due to various factors, including events or conditions affecting the general economy or particular industries; overall market changes; local, regional or global political, social or economic instability; governmental or governmental agency responses to economic conditions; and currency exchange rate, interest rate and commodity price fluctuations.


Issuer risks — The prices of, and the income generated by, securities held by the fund may decline in response to various factors directly related to the issuers of such securities, including reduced demand for an issuer’s goods or services, poor management performance and strategic initiatives such as mergers, acquisitions or dispositions and the market response to any such initiatives.


Investing in municipal securities — The yield and/or value of the fund’s investments in municipal securities may be adversely affected by events tied to the municipal securities markets, which can be very volatile and significantly impacted by unfavorable legislative or political developments and negative changes in the financial conditions of municipal securities issuers and the economy. To the extent the fund invests in obligations of a municipal issuer, the volatility, credit quality and performance of the fund may be adversely impacted by local political and economic conditions of the issuer. For example, a credit rating downgrade, bond default or bankruptcy involving an issuer within a particular state or territory could affect the market values and marketability of many or all municipal obligations of that state or territory. Income from municipal securities held by the fund could also be declared taxable because of changes in tax laws or interpretations by taxing authorities or as a result of noncompliant conduct of a municipal issuer. Additionally, the relative amount of publicly available information about municipal securities is generally less than that for corporate securities.


Investing in debt instruments — The prices of, and the income generated by, bonds and other debt securities held by the fund may be affected by changing interest rates and by changes in the effective maturities and credit ratings of these securities.


Rising interest rates will generally cause the prices of bonds and other debt securities to fall. Falling interest rates may cause an issuer to redeem, call or refinance a debt security before its stated maturity, which may result in the fund having to reinvest the proceeds in lower yielding securities. Longer maturity debt securities generally have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates and may be subject to greater price fluctuations than shorter maturity debt securities.


Bonds and other debt securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that the credit strength of an issuer will weaken and/or an issuer of a debt security will fail to make timely payments of principal or interest and the security will go into default. Lower quality debt securities generally have higher rates of interest and may be subject to greater price fluctuations than higher quality debt securities. Credit risk is gauged, in part, by the credit ratings of the debt securities in which the fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of the rating agencies issuing them and are not guarantees as to credit quality or an evaluation of market risk. The fund’s investment adviser relies on its own credit analysts to research issuers and issues in seeking to mitigate various credit and default risks.


Liquidity risk — Certain fund holdings may be deemed to be less liquid or illiquid because they cannot be readily sold without significantly impacting the value of the holdings. Liquidity risk may result from the lack of an active market for a holding, legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or the reduced number and capacity of market participants to make a market in such holding. Market prices for less liquid or illiquid holdings may be volatile, and reduced liquidity may have an adverse impact on the market price of such holdings. Additionally, the sale of less liquid or illiquid holdings may involve substantial delays (including delays in settlement) and additional costs and the fund may be unable to sell such holdings when necessary to meet its liquidity needs.


Credit and liquidity support — Changes in the credit quality of banks and financial institutions providing credit and liquidity support features with respect to securities held by the fund could cause the values of these securities to decline.


Investing in lower rated debt instruments — Lower rated bonds and other lower rated debt securities generally have higher rates of interest and involve greater risk of default or price declines due to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness than those of higher quality debt securities. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than the prices of higher quality debt securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty. These risks may be increased with respect to investments in junk bonds.


Investing in similar municipal bonds — Investing significantly in municipal obligations of multiple issuers in the same state or backed by revenues of similar types of projects or industries may make the fund more susceptible to certain economic, political or regulatory occurrences. As a result, the potential for fluctuations in the fund’s share price may increase.


Management — The investment adviser to the fund actively manages the fund’s investments. Consequently, the fund is subject to the risk that the methods and analyses employed by the investment adviser in this process may not produce the desired results. This could cause the fund to lose value or its investment results to lag relevant benchmarks or other funds with similar objectives.


Your investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, entity or person. You should consider how this fund fits into your overall investment program.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney You may lose money by investing in the fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution Your investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, entity or person.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Investment results
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compare with a broad measure of securities market results and other applicable measures of market results. This information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index is a market-value-weighted index composed of municipal bonds rated below BBB/Baa. The Lipper High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Average includes the fund and other funds that disclose investment objectives and/or strategies reasonably comparable to those of the fund. Past investment results (before and after taxes) are not predictive of future investment results. Updated information on the fund’s investment results can be obtained by visiting americanfunds.com.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compare with a broad measure of securities market results and other applicable measures of market results.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text] rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex The Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index is a market-value-weighted index composed of municipal bonds rated below BBB/Baa. The Lipper High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Average includes the fund and other funds that disclose investment objectives and/or strategies reasonably comparable to those of the fund.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress americanfunds.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Past investment results (before and after taxes) are not predictive of future investment results.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Calendar year total returns for Class R-6 shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compare with a broad measure of securities market results and other applicable measures of market results.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Highest/Lowest quarterly results during this period were:

 

Highest 5.51% (quarter ended March 31, 2014)

 

Lowest -4.41% (quarter ended December 31, 2016)

The fund's total return for the six months ended June 30, 2017, was 4.68%.
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel The fund's total return for the six months ended
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2017
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 4.68%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Highest
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2014
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 5.51%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Lowest
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2016
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (4.41%)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during each year of the periods shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during each year of the periods shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and likely will differ from the results shown above.
Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption Average annual total returns For the periods ended December 31, 2016 (with maximum sales charge):
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees, expenses or U.S. federal income taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees, expenses or U.S. federal income taxes)
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.25%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.73%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 11, 2012
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees, expenses or U.S. federal income taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees, expenses or U.S. federal income taxes)
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.99%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.53%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 11, 2012
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Lipper High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Average (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees or U.S. federal income taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Lipper High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Average (reflects no deductions for sales charges, account fees or U.S. federal income taxes)
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.82%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.03%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 11, 2012
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Class R-6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of the amount redeemed) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption or exchange fees rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.29%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.09%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.38%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 39
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 122
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 213
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 480
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 (3.16%)
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 14.37%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 4.68%
Annual Return 2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 1.86%
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel R-6 — Before taxes
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.86%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.12%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 11, 2012
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Class R-6 | After Taxes on Distributions  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel R-6 — After taxes on distributions
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.86%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.12%
R-6 Shares Prospectus | AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND | Class R-6 | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel R-6 — After taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.87%
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.00%