It was created on 1 January 2022 to replace the École nationale d'administration (ENA), which was abolished on 31 December 2021 by French President Emmanuel Macron.

It especially provides continuing training that focuses on helping senior civil servants access government management positions.

President Emmanuel Macron took the formal decision to abolish it in 2019, despite the opposition of his Prime Minister Édouard Philippe and his chief of staff, Benoît Ribadeau-Dumas, both from the Council of State.

Initially planned for April 15, 2019, the announcement was made ten days later due to the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

2021-702 of June 2, 2021 reforming the senior management of the state civil service creates the INSP, a new national administrative public establishment.

The National Institute of Public Service (INSP) was officially inaugurated by the Prime Minister Jean Castex on January 28, 2022, in Strasbourg.

The INSP also has a Parisian branch, located on avenue de l'Observatoire, in premises previously occupied by the National School of Overseas France, International Institute of Public Administration and the École nationale d'administration (ENA) until 2021.