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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Additional Information) (Detail) (USD $)
Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified
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12 Months Ended |
0 Months Ended |
3 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2014
segment
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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Oct. 24, 2014
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Feb. 05, 2015
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Dec. 31, 2014
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Number of reportable segments |
4us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
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| Advertising costs from continuing operation |
$ 57,100,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
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$ 57,500,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
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$ 48,700,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
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| Bad debt expense from continuing operations |
2,500,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
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2,800,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
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2,100,000us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
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| Depreciation expense |
71,700,000us-gaap_Depreciation
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71,200,000us-gaap_Depreciation
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73,900,000us-gaap_Depreciation
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| Fixed assets ,Collateral |
92,300,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsSeparatelyReportedOtherAssetsPledgedAsCollateralAtFairValue
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82,600,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsSeparatelyReportedOtherAssetsPledgedAsCollateralAtFairValue
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92,300,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsSeparatelyReportedOtherAssetsPledgedAsCollateralAtFairValue
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| Foreign currency transaction loss |
7,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionLossBeforeTax
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6,800,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionLossBeforeTax
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| Long term debt |
1,527,900,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
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1,438,100,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
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1,527,900,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
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| Variable interest maximum exposure to loss |
15,900,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
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15,900,000us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
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| Fair Value |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Fair value of interest rate swaps |
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6,000,000us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeAssetsAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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| Computer Software Intangible Asset | Maximum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
10 years
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| Computer Software Intangible Asset | Minimum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
3 years
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| Fixed Rate Debt |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Fair value of debt |
1,300,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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1,200,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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1,300,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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| Long term debt |
1,100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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1,100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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1,100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= efx_FixedRateDebtMember
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| Data Processing Equipment Capitalized Internal Use Software and Systems Costs | Maximum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
10 years
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| Data Processing Equipment Capitalized Internal Use Software and Systems Costs | Computer Software Intangible Asset | Maximum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
3 years
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| Building |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
40 years
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| Other Capitalized Property Plant and Equipment | Maximum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
7 years
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| Other Capitalized Property Plant and Equipment | Minimum |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Property Plant And Equipment Useful Life |
3 years
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| Stock Options |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Antidilutive stock options excluded from computation of earnings per share |
0.1us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
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0.1us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
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0.1us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
/ us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
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| U.S. Information Solutions |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Percentage of revenue from a segment |
45.00%efx_PercentageOfSegmentRevenue
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= efx_USConsumerInformationSolutionsMember
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| Accelerated Share Repurchase Program |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount |
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115,000,000us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchasesSettlementPaymentOrReceipt
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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| Shares issued under stock and benefit plans, net of minimum tax withholdings (in shares) |
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1.40us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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| Treasury Stock, Holdback Provision, Percent |
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10.00%efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramAdjustmentPercent
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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| Accelerated Share Repurchase Program, Adjustment |
11,500,000us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramAdjustment
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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11,500,000us-gaap_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramAdjustment
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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| Stock Repurchase Program, Number of Shares Authorized to be Repurchased |
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3.2us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
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| Other Current Assets |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Restricted cash |
50,800,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
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0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
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50,800,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
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| Other Current Liabilities |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Restricted cash |
50,800,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
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0us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
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50,800,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
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| Intersegment Eliminations | International |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Number of operating segments |
4us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
/ us-gaap_ConsolidationItemsAxis
= us-gaap_IntersegmentEliminationMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= efx_InternationalMember
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| Subsequent Event | Accelerated Share Repurchase Program |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Shares issued under stock and benefit plans, net of minimum tax withholdings (in shares) |
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0.02us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= efx_AcceleratedShareRepurchaseProgramMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
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| Interest Rate Swap |
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |
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| Derivative, Cash Received on Hedge |
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$ 3,800,000us-gaap_DerivativeCashReceivedOnHedge
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
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