It was established in 2008 to replace the National Coordinating Board for Disaster Management (Badan Koordinasi Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana or Bakornas PB).

[3] In 1966, the government established the advisory board of Central Natural Disaster Management (Badan Pertimbangan Penanggulangan Bencana Alam Pusat; abbreviated as BP2BAP) through the Presidential Decree Number 256 of 1966.

A year later, the Cabinet Presidium through Decree number 14/U/KEP/I/1967, established the National Coordination Team for Disaster Management (Tim Koordinasi Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana Alam; abbreviated as TKP2BA).

[4] On 21 January 2019, President Joko Widodo elevated the rank of the BNPB head to a minister-level official, allowing the agency to directly take over commanding functions during natural disasters.

A spokesperson for the board observed that a sum of only Rp 4 trillion (around $US 470 million) had been allocated to support disaster relief in Indonesia during 2011.