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Intangible Assets
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) [Abstract]  
Intangible Assets
Intangible Assets

Our identifiable intangible assets primarily consist of acquired permits and leasehold agreements and franchise agreements that grant us the right to operate out-of-home structures in specified locations and the right to provide advertising space on railroad and municipal transit properties. Identifiable intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful life, which in some cases includes historical experience of renewals.

Our identifiable intangible assets consist of the following:
(in millions)
 
Gross
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net
As of September 30, 2015:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Permits and leasehold agreements
 
$
1,112.3

 
$
(695.4
)
 
$
416.9

Franchise agreements
 
472.0

 
(333.8
)
 
138.2

Other intangible assets
 
40.0

 
(7.5
)
 
32.5

Total intangible assets
 
$
1,624.3

 
$
(1,036.7
)
 
$
587.6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2014:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Permits and leasehold agreements
 
$
1,119.2

 
$
(677.2
)
 
$
442.0

Franchise agreements
 
474.7

 
(321.1
)
 
153.6

Other intangible assets
 
39.9

 
(2.3
)
 
37.6

Total intangible assets
 
$
1,633.8

 
$
(1,000.6
)
 
$
633.2



All of our identifiable intangible assets, except goodwill, are subject to amortization. Amortization expense was $29.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015, and $22.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014, which includes the amortization of direct lease acquisition costs of $9.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2015, and $8.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014. Amortization expense was $86.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, and $67.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014, which includes the amortization of direct lease acquisition costs of $26.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, and $24.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014. Direct lease acquisition costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the related customer lease term, which generally ranges from four weeks to one year.