Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 70
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

The highest percentage of annual salary that an employee is permitted to utilize with respect to the plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of compensation withheld to cover purchase price of common stock

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrsn_PercentageOfCompensationWithheldToCoverPurchasePriceOfCommonStock
Namespace Prefix:	vrsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Purchase price of common stock as percentage of lower of fair market value of common stock share on first day of offering period or last day of purchase period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrsn_PurchasePriceOfCommonStockAsPercentageOfLowerOfFairMarketValueOfCommonStockShareOnFirstDayOfOfferingPeriodOrLastDayOfPurchasePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	vrsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, award vesting percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrsn_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	vrsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, employer contribution as a percentage of employee contribution

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrsn_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEmployerContributionAsPercentageOfEmployeeContribution
Namespace Prefix:	vrsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, employer contribution as a percentage of employee's annual salary

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrsn_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEmployerContributionAsPercentageOfEmployeesAnnualSalary
Namespace Prefix:	vrsn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=vrsn_FourHundredOnePlanKPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=vrsn_TwoThousandSevenEmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=vrsn_TwoThousandSixEquityIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Employee Benefits And Stock-Based Compensation (401(k) Plan To 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan) (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employer contribution under the plan	$ 3.7	$ 3.4	$ 3.1
Common stock were reserved for issuance	12.3
Purchase price of common stock as percentage of lower of fair market value of common stock share on first day of offering period or last day of purchase period	85.00%
401 (k) Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee's contribution under the plan	50.00%
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement By Share-Based Payment Award, Employer Contribution As A Percentage Of Employee Contribution	50.00%
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting percentage of Options/RSUs	25.00%
Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock were reserved for issuance	1.4
Two Thousand Seven Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock were reserved for issuance	6.0
Two Thousand Six Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock were reserved for issuance	27.0
Minimum [Member] \| Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of compensation withheld to cover purchase price of common stock	2.00%
Maximum [Member] \| 401 (k) Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employer contribution as a percentage of employee's annual salary	6.00%
Maximum [Member] \| Employee Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of compensation withheld to cover purchase price of common stock	25.00%