1.0.0.3 true Consolidated Statements of Earnings Parenthetical false 4 $ true false false false Class B us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi us-gaap_CommonClassBMember us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis explicitMember Ratios Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDperShare Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 5 $ true false false false Class B us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi us-gaap_CommonClassBMember us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis explicitMember Ratios Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDperShare Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 6 $ true false false false Class B us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi us-gaap_CommonClassBMember us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis explicitMember Ratios Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDperShare Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 7 $ true false false false Class B us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi us-gaap_CommonClassBMember us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis explicitMember Ratios Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 1 0 na true na na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false 4 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 3 2 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 5193 5193 false false 2 true true 3224 3224 false false 3 true true 8548 8548 false false 4 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 5 0 na true na na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false 4 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 2 brka_NetEarningsPerShareRatio brka false na duration decimal Ratio representing the net earnings per equivalent Class A common share. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0.000667 0.000667 false false 2 false true 0.000667 0.000667 false false 3 false true 0.000667 0.000667 false false 4 false false 0 0 false false Ratio representing the net earnings per equivalent Class A common share. No authoritative reference available. false 7 2 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 3.46 3.46 false false 2 true true 2.15 2.15 false false 3 true true 5.70 5.70 false false 4 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 2 brka_StockSplitConversionRate brka false na instant pure Element represents the conversion rate to reflect a stock split. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false 4 false true 50 50 false false Element represents the conversion rate to reflect a stock split. No authoritative reference available. false false 4 6 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown true true