The department was established on 4 January 1992 and ensures that customs regulations are followed for incoming trade and goods to Armenia.

[3][4] Department staff are also responsible to ensure that contraband items which are prohibited for entry are monitored at all checkpoints.

[6] The Armenian Customs Service maintains bilateral customs agreements with the following countries: Austria, Argentina, Belarus, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Latvia, Lebanon, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

[8] In 2017, representatives from the department held cooperation talks with the Federal Customs Service of Russia.

In addition, Armenia has signed several customs and trade regulatory treaties, including the:[12][13]