Right after Vietnam gained its independence, on 8th September 1945, the Provisional Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam issued a Decree on establishment of the Bureau of Archives and Library under the National Department of Education and appointment of a person in charge. Next to it, on 3rd January 1946, President Ho Chi Minh signed a Circular No 1C-VP emphasizing special values of archival materials for national construction and prohibiting any destruction of records without consent of competent authority.

In effort to enhance further the State's unified administration of archival work, on 4th September 1962, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 102/CP on establishing the Archives Department subordinate to the Premier’s Office.

On 11th December 1982, the State Council of Vietnam passed the Ordinance on Protection of national archives. To implement Article 14 of the Ordinance, on 1st March 1984, the Council of Ministers enacted Decree 34/HDBT stipulating functions, responsibilities, jurisdiction and organization of the State Archives Department of Vietnam. On 25th January 1991, the Chairman of Council of Ministers issued Decision 24-CT assigning the task of administration of records management at nationwide to the State Archives Department of Vietnam. From 1984 to 1991, the State Archives Department of Vietnam was subordinate to the Council of Ministers. Since 1992, the State Archives Department of Vietnam has been placed under the Government Committee on Organization and Personnel.

In an effort to lay down legal grounds for developing archival activities to keep pace with requirements posed by renovation process in Vietnam, on 4th April 2001, the National Assembly's Standing Committee passed the Ordinance on national archives. As provided by the Ordinance, the central archives management agency shall be responsible for advising the Party and in obligation to the Government for national administration of archives.

At present the State Archives Department of Vietnam is comprised of 15 subordinates including 7 assisting and 8 professional units.

Regarding the personnel, starting with 10 cadres as early as its establishment, now the State Archives Department of Vietnam has 280 staff, of which 150 have education background of tertiary and postgraduate level including master and doctor degrees.

Archival organization and activities at ministries, business sectors and provinces have been also further expanded and strengthened, thus forming a network of archives from central to local levels, particularly after the Prime Minister issued Decree 726/TTg on 4th September 1997 on enhancing archival work. In that light, most ministries have set up archives division administered by ministerial offices and archives centers have been established in provinces, cities of central subordinates and administered by the offices of the People's Council and People's Committee have been established.