The Public Department of Customs was established in 1899 during the reign of the late Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah and is considered the first department to be established in Kuwait.

In 1961 an Amiri decree issued to consolidate both the customs and the port section into one department called the Department of Customs and Ports. Later on January 28, 1983, this department was combined with the Ministry of Finance and Industry and, on April 14, 1975, was merged with the Ministry of Transport. A subsequent decree was issued under Law No 133/77 to separate the ports from the customs department.

On December 27, 1980, the Ministry of Finance issued resolution No 1/80 to announce that the Public Department of Customs as a department was attached to the Ministry of Finance.

The Public Department of Customs is the executive authority applying decisions and rules of all ministries and authorities of the State.