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Notes payable and other borrowings - Narrative (Detail) € in Millions, £ in Millions, $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2024 JPY (¥)	Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2023 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2024 JPY (¥)	Jun. 30, 2024 EUR (€)	Jun. 30, 2024 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable and other borrowings								¥ 1,522.0	€ 5,850	£ 1,750
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused lines of credit available				$ 11,300		$ 11,300
Line of Credit and Commercial Paper Facilities [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused lines of credit available				10,100		10,100
Insurance and Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable and other borrowings				41,940		41,940					$ 42,692
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] \| Subsidiaries Excluding Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Guarantee obligation				$ 2,700		$ 2,700
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate, percentage				4.50%		4.50%		4.50%	4.50%	4.50%
Notes payable and other borrowings				$ 4,623		$ 4,623					4,696
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of borrowings						1,100
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Finance Corporation [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gains (loss) attributable to changes in foreign currency exchange rates				588	$ 555	$ 1,400	$ 529
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued	$ 1,700	¥ 263.3
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2024
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate during period	0.974%	0.974%
Debt maturity year	2027	2027
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2051
Insurance and Other [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member] \| Debt Due 2027 to 2054 [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate during period	2.498%	2.498%
Debt maturity year	2054	2054
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable and other borrowings				$ 81,688		$ 81,688					85,579
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate, percentage				4.60%		4.60%		4.60%	4.60%	4.60%
Notes payable and other borrowings				$ 43,367		$ 43,367					39,072
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Pilot Travel Centers And Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from borrowings			$ 5,700
Weighted average interest rate, percentage				0.00%		0.00%		0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Notes payable and other borrowings											$ 5,776
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Term Debt [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy and Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of borrowings						$ 4,000
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Term Debt [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt issued						$ 5,400
Weighted average interest rate, percentage				5.40%		5.40%		5.40%	5.40%	5.40%
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Senior Unsecured Debentures [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| BNSF [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of borrowings				$ 500
Principal amount of debt issued				$ 1,300
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				5.50%		5.50%		5.50%	5.50%	5.50%
Debt maturity year				2055
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2024
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Term Debt [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2029
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2064
Railroad, Utilities and Energy [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Term Debt [Member] \| Subsidiaries [Member] \| Berkshire Hathaway Energy Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt maturity year						2055