However, there are traces of an older Middle Ages' fortress built by Croatian aristocrat family Nelipić at the site called Gradina dominating the landscape.

On September 16, 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Drniš was attacked by forces of the 9th Corpus of Yugoslav People's Army and militia of SAO Krajina led by general Ratko Mladić.

The Croatian population fled under mortar fire, and town was incorporated in Republic of Serbian Krajina.

In August 1995, Drniš was restored to Croatian government control during the military action Operation Storm, and the Serbian population fled to Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The village of Otavice near Drniš is the place where the noted sculptor Ivan Meštrović spent his childhood.