Revenue Recognition (Up-Front Customer Loyalty Programs) (Details) - Up front customer loyalty programs - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Capitalized customer acquisition costs	$ 146.0	$ 146.0	$ 137.4
Recognized as a reduction of revenue	$ 10.0	$ 20.2

Amount of amortization expense for asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131252-203054

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before accumulated amortization and accumulated impairment loss, of asset recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill contract with customer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 340
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131252-203054

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisaggregationOfRevenueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=idxx_UpFrontCustomerLoyaltyProgramsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: