The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment.

[13] In 2014, following a recommendation of a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee, the council was reduced to 18 seats.

[16] It also provided that the county be divided into municipal districts to administer council business at a local level.

Cavan County Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly where they are part of the Border Strategic Planning Area Committee.

Since 2019, County Cavan has been divided into three LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, each of which also forms a municipal district.