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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName FENIMORE ASSET MANAGEMENT TRUST
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate May 01, 2012
Investor Share Class | FAM Value Fund | Investor Class
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchase rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Redemption fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.00%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.22%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.23%
1 YEAR rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 125
3 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 390
5 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 676
10 YEARS rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,489
Annual Return 2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (5.33%)
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 24.98%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 16.86%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 5.56%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 8.73%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 (0.79%)
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (28.68%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 22.18%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 17.02%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (0.41%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 13.34%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (20.68%)
1 YEAR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.41%)
5 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.15%
10 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.81%
Investor Share Class | FAM Value Fund | Investor Class | Return after taxes on distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YEAR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.41%)
5 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.24%)
10 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.30%
Investor Share Class | FAM Value Fund | Investor Class | Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YEAR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.27%)
5 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.03%
10 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.05%
Investor Share Class | FAM Value Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading

FAM Value Fund

Investor Share Class
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective:
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
FAM Value Fund's investment objective is to maximize long-term return on capital.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption
S H A R E H O L D E R   F E E S

(fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

A N N UA L F U N D O P E R AT I N G E X P E N S E S

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading PortfolioTurnover:
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 performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 7.78% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 7.78%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Expense Example:
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
This Example is intended to help you compare 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. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies:
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Fenimore Asset Management, Inc. ("Fenimore"), the investment advisor to the Fund, employs a "value approach" in making its common stock selections.   This approach is based on Fenimore's belief that at any given point in time the stock price of a company may sell below the company's "true business worth".  Factors considered in evaluating the true business worth include the company's current earnings and Fenimore's opinion as to its future earnings potential. After identifying a company whose securities are determined to have a favorable price-to-earnings relationship, Fenimore plans to invest in such securities until the "true business worth" nears the market price of the company's securities.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will attempt to remain fully invested in common stocks and

securities that are convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds and convertible preferred stocks. The Fund may invest in the securities of issuers of all sizes and market capitalizations. The Fund may also invest in the securities of both domestic and foreign issuers.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks:
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

• Stock Market Risk - the value of stocks fluctuate in response to the activities of individual companies and general stock market and economic conditions. Stock prices may decline over short or extended periods of time. Stocks are more volatile and riskier than some other forms of investments.

• Stock Selection Risk - the value stocks chosen for the Fund are subject to the risk that the market

may never realize their intrinsic value or their prices may go down.

• Small-Cap Risk - small capitalization companies may not have the size, resources or other assets of large capitalization companies.

 

• Market Risk - the value of your investment will go up and down, which means that you could lose money. 
• Foreign Investment Risk - the Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded in foreign markets or may be represented by American Depository Receipts that are traded in the United States. Investments in non-U.S. securities may involve additional risk including exchange rate fluctuation, political or economic instability, the imposition of exchange controls, expropriation, limited disclosure and illiquid markets.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney the value of your investment will go up and down, which means that you could lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading AnnualTotal Return:
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
The following bar chart and table show some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund.  The bar chart shows changes in the Investor Class shares performance since 2002.  The table shows how Investor Class shares' average annual returns   (before and after taxes ) for the one year, five year and ten year periods compared to those of the Russell 2000 Index.  The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.  Updated performance information may be obtained at the Fund's website www.famfunds.com.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart shows changes in the Investor Class shares performance since 2002.  The table shows how Investor Class shares' average annual returns   (before and after taxes ) for the one year, five year and ten year periods compared to those of the Russell 2000 Index.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.famfunds.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading

FAM Value Fund

Investor Share Class
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter (ended 12/31/11):

13.34%

Worst Quarter (ended 12/31/08):

 

-20.68%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

AVERAGE   ANNUAL   TOTAL   RETURN

(for the periods ending December 31, 2011)

INVESTOR   CLASS
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate The after-tax returns shown in the table are calculated using the historical highest individual
federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown.
The  after-tax  returns  are  not  relevant  to  investors  who  hold  their  Fund  shares  through  tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts, or to investors
who are tax exempt.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock
The after-tax returns shown in the table are calculated using the historical highest individual
federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown.
The  after-tax  returns  are  not  relevant  to  investors  who  hold  their  Fund  shares  through  tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts, or to investors
who are tax exempt.
Investor Share Class | FAM Value Fund | Russell 2000 Index
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YEAR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.18%)
5 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.15%
10 YEARS rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.62%