Unlike the Arrondissement of Leuven, it is not a judicial arrondissement; however since the sixth Belgian state reform in 2012–14, it has its own public prosecutor's service.

Following the 2007 federal election, Yves Leterme, who was in charge of the negotiations for forming a new Federal Government, proposed to split up the Judicial Arrondissement of Brussels into two judicial arrondissements: one comprising Halle-Vilvoorde and the other comprising the Brussels Region.

The Arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde was established in 1963 when the language borders were determined.

In 1977, the then municipality of Muizen ceased to exist and was ceded to the Arrondissement of Mechelen, in the Province of Antwerp.

The Administrative Arrondissement of Halle-Vilvoorde is made up of the following municipalities: