Consolidated Statement Of Equity - USD ($)	JV Partner [Member] Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	JV Partner [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Paid-In Capital [Member]	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit) [Member]	Total PS Business Parks, Inc.'s Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Balances at Dec. 31, 2017			$ 959,750,000	$ 272,000	$ 735,067,000	$ (1,778,000)	$ 1,693,311,000	$ 196,625,000	$ 1,889,936,000
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2017			38,390	27,254,607
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation					1,228,000		1,228,000		1,228,000
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation, shares				77,227
Stock compensation, net					1,245,000		1,245,000		1,245,000
Cash paid for taxes in lieu of shares upon vesting of restricted stock units					(4,529,000)		(4,529,000)		(4,529,000)
Consolidation of joint venture (see Note 3)								4,032,000	4,032,000
Net income						143,584,000			173,884,000
Net income allocable to PS Business Parks, Inc.							143,584,000		143,584,000
Net income allocable to Noncontrolling Interests		$ (819,000)						30,300,000	30,300,000
Distributions
Preferred stock (Note 8)						(25,962,000)	(25,962,000)		(25,962,000)
Common stock						(46,396,000)	(46,396,000)		(46,396,000)
Noncontrolling interests								(12,419,000)	(12,419,000)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests - common units in the OP					606,000		606,000	(606,000)
Balances at Jun. 30, 2018			$ 959,750,000	$ 272,000	733,617,000	69,448,000	1,763,087,000	217,932,000	1,981,019,000
Balances, shares at Jun. 30, 2018			38,390	27,331,834
Balances at Mar. 31, 2018			$ 959,750,000	$ 272,000	732,574,000	21,673,000	1,714,269,000	205,378,000	1,919,647,000
Balances, shares at Mar. 31, 2018			38,390	27,316,698
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation					975,000		975,000		975,000
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation, shares				15,136
Stock compensation, net					431,000		431,000		431,000
Net income						83,959,000	83,959,000		102,359,000
Net income allocable to PS Business Parks, Inc.									83,959,000
Net income allocable to Noncontrolling Interests		(383,000)						18,400,000	18,400,000
Distributions
Preferred stock (Note 8)						(12,959,000)	(12,959,000)		(12,959,000)
Common stock						(23,225,000)	(23,225,000)		(23,225,000)
Noncontrolling interests								(6,209,000)	(6,209,000)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests - common units in the OP					(363,000)		(363,000)	363,000
Balances at Jun. 30, 2018			$ 959,750,000	$ 272,000	733,617,000	69,448,000	1,763,087,000	217,932,000	1,981,019,000
Balances, shares at Jun. 30, 2018			38,390	27,331,834
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018			$ 959,750,000	$ 274,000	736,131,000	69,207,000	1,765,362,000	218,091,000	1,983,453,000
Balances, shares at Dec. 31, 2018			38,390	27,362,101
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation					709,000		709,000		709,000
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation, shares				67,655
Stock compensation, net					1,409,000		1,409,000		1,409,000
Cash paid for taxes in lieu of shares upon vesting of restricted stock units					(5,500,000)		(5,500,000)		(5,500,000)
Net income						81,298,000			95,948,000
Net income allocable to PS Business Parks, Inc.							81,298,000		81,298,000
Net income allocable to Noncontrolling Interests		13,000						14,650,000	14,650,000
Distributions
Preferred stock (Note 8)						(25,918,000)	(25,918,000)		(25,918,000)
Common stock						(57,538,000)	(57,538,000)		(57,538,000)
Noncontrolling interests	$ (45,000)	(45,000)						(15,341,000)	(15,341,000)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests - common units in the OP					1,028,000		1,028,000	(1,028,000)
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019			$ 959,750,000	$ 274,000	733,777,000	67,049,000	1,760,850,000	216,327,000	1,977,177,000
Balances, shares at Jun. 30, 2019			38,390	27,429,756
Balances at Mar. 31, 2019			$ 959,750,000	$ 274,000	732,955,000	67,059,000	1,760,038,000	216,237,000	1,976,275,000
Balances, shares at Mar. 31, 2019			38,390	27,417,909
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation					304,000		304,000		304,000
Issuance of common stock in connection with stock-based compensation, shares				11,847
Stock compensation, net					706,000		706,000		706,000
Cash paid for taxes in lieu of shares upon vesting of restricted stock units					(6,000)		(6,000)		(6,000)
Net income						41,750,000			49,373,000
Net income allocable to PS Business Parks, Inc.							41,750,000		41,750,000
Net income allocable to Noncontrolling Interests		10,000						7,623,000	7,623,000
Distributions
Preferred stock (Note 8)						(12,959,000)	(12,959,000)		(12,959,000)
Common stock						(28,801,000)	(28,801,000)		(28,801,000)
Noncontrolling interests	$ (45,000)	$ (45,000)						(7,670,000)	(7,670,000)
Adjustment to noncontrolling interests - common units in the OP					(182,000)		(182,000)	182,000
Balances at Jun. 30, 2019			$ 959,750,000	$ 274,000	$ 733,777,000	$ 67,049,000	$ 1,760,850,000	$ 216,327,000	$ 1,977,177,000
Balances, shares at Jun. 30, 2019			38,390	27,429,756