| Document and Entity Information - shares | 6 Months Ended | |
| Nov. 30, 2016 | Jan. 07, 2017 | |
| Document And Entity Information | ||
| Entity Registrant Name | Taylor Devices Inc | |
| Entity Central Index Key | 96,536 | |
| Document Type | 10-Q | |
| Document Period End Date | Nov. 30, 2016 | |
| Amendment Flag | false | |
| Current Fiscal Year End Date | --05-31 | |
| Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer? | No | |
| Is Entity a Voluntary Filer? | No | |
| Is Entity's Reporting Status Current? | Yes | |
| Entity Filer Category | Smaller Reporting Company | |
| Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding | 3,431,312 | |
| Document Fiscal Period Focus | Q2 | |
| Document Fiscal Year Focus | 2,017 |
| Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) | Nov. 30, 2016 | May 31, 2016 |
| Current assets: | ||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ 4,015,826 | $ 6,086,080 |
| Short-term investments | 1,014,246 | 1,000,000 |
| Accounts receivable, net | 3,783,449 | 3,992,214 |
| Inventory | 10,576,467 | 9,604,956 |
| Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings | 6,424,624 | 5,500,771 |
| Other current assets | 1,273,040 | 1,437,381 |
| Total current assets | 27,087,652 | 27,621,402 |
| Maintenance and other inventory, net | 609,545 | 697,043 |
| Property and equipment, net | 9,777,753 | 8,994,504 |
| Other assets | 178,128 | 175,350 |
| Total Assets | 37,653,078 | 37,488,299 |
| Current liabilities: | ||
| Accounts payable | 2,041,703 | 1,767,017 |
| Accrued commissions | 898,572 | 683,600 |
| Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings | 838,417 | 1,463,621 |
| Other current liabilities | 1,656,329 | 2,733,847 |
| Total current liabilities | 5,435,021 | 6,648,085 |
| Long-term liabilities | 682,985 | 682,985 |
| Stockholders' Equity: | ||
| Common stock and additional paid-in capital | 9,003,309 | 8,628,280 |
| Retained earnings | 25,333,247 | 24,185,133 |
| Treasury stock - at cost | (2,801,484) | (2,656,184) |
| Total stockholders’ equity | 31,535,072 | 30,157,229 |
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ 37,653,078 | $ 37,488,299 |
| Statements of Operations (Unaudited) - USD ($) | 4 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | ||
| Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | |
| Income Statement [Abstract] | ||||
| Sales, net | $ 7,807,465 | $ 8,819,548 | $ 13,563,178 | $ 18,292,962 |
| Cost of goods sold | 5,061,495 | 5,824,754 | 9,369,084 | 11,922,880 |
| Gross profit | 2,745,970 | 2,994,794 | 4,194,094 | 6,370,082 |
| Selling, general and administrative expenses | 1,373,726 | 1,576,225 | 2,555,700 | 3,403,214 |
| Operating income | 1,372,244 | 1,418,569 | 1,638,394 | 2,966,868 |
| Other income, net | 26,036 | 6,089 | 35,720 | 9,439 |
| Income before provision for income taxes | 1,398,280 | 1,424,658 | 1,674,114 | 2,976,307 |
| Provision for income taxes | 460,000 | 500,000 | 526,000 | 1,042,000 |
| Net income | $ 938,280 | $ 924,658 | $ 1,148,114 | $ 1,934,307 |
| Basic and diluted earnings per common share | $ 0.27 | $ 0.27 | $ 0.34 | $ 0.57 |
| Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) | 6 Months Ended | |
| Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | |
| Operating activities: | ||
| Net income | $ 1,148,114 | $ 1,934,307 |
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities: | ||
| Depreciation | 453,823 | 395,821 |
| Stock options issued for services | 78,789 | 60,719 |
| Changes in other assets and liabilities: | ||
| Accounts receivable | 208,765 | (1,883,211) |
| Inventory | (884,013) | (936,101) |
| Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings | (923,853) | 201,945 |
| Other current assets | 164,341 | 98,549 |
| Accounts payable | 274,686 | (726,125) |
| Accrued commissions | 214,972 | (157,248) |
| Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings | (625,204) | 898,014 |
| Other current liabilities | (1,077,518) | 307,625 |
| Net operating activities | (967,098) | 194,295 |
| Investing activities: | ||
| Acquisition of property and equipment | (1,237,072) | (855,129) |
| Other investing activities | (17,024) | (2,847) |
| Net investing activities | (1,254,096) | (857,976) |
| Financing activities: | ||
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net | 150,940 | 266,021 |
| Net change in cash and cash equivalents | (2,070,254) | (397,660) |
| Cash and cash equivalents - beginning | 6,086,080 | 4,895,898 |
| Cash and cash equivalents - ending | $ 4,015,826 | $ 4,498,238 |
| Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements | 6 Months Ended |
| Nov. 30, 2016 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | |
| Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements | Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 1. 2. 3. 4. 3,418,508 3,374,214 3,415,683 3,370,018 5. 6. 6 7. Decrease in current assets $ 965,100 Increase in noncurrent assets $ 282,115 Decrease in noncurrent liabilities $ 682,985 |
| Inventory | 6 Months Ended |
| Nov. 30, 2016 | |
| Inventory Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Inventory | 8. Inventory November 30, 2016 May 31, 2016 Inventory, net Raw materials $ 522,315 $ 511,530 Work-in-process 9,434,672 8,639,068 Finished goods 719,480 554,358 Gross Inventory 10,676,467 9,704,956 Less allowance for obsolescence 100,000 100,000 Net Inventory $ 10,576,467 $ 9,604,956 |
| Inventory (Tables) | 6 Months Ended |
| Nov. 30, 2016 | |
| Inventory Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Inventory | November 30, 2016 May 31, 2016 Inventory, net Raw materials $ 522,315 $ 511,530 Work-in-process 9,434,672 8,639,068 Finished goods 719,480 554,358 Gross Inventory 10,676,467 9,704,956 Less allowance for obsolescence 100,000 100,000 Net Inventory $ 10,576,467 $ 9,604,956 |
| Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Details Narrative) - shares | 4 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | ||
| Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | Nov. 30, 2016 | Nov. 30, 2015 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | ||||
| Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted | 3,415,683 | 3,370,018 | 3,418,508 | 3,374,214 |
| Inventory (Details) - USD ($) | Nov. 30, 2016 | May 31, 2016 |
| Inventory, net | ||
| Raw materials | $ 522,315 | $ 511,530 |
| Work-in-process | 9,434,672 | 8,639,068 |
| Finished goods | 719,480 | 554,358 |
| Gross Inventory | 10,676,467 | 9,704,956 |
| Less allowance for obsolescence | (100,000) | (100,000) |
| Net Inventory | $ 10,576,467 | $ 9,604,956 |
