The ministry was created in 1798 as the Department of Internal Police, to monitor the state of dikes, roads, and waters of the Batavian Republic.

A precursor of the ministry, the Department for Internal Policy and Supervision on the State of Water Works, was founded in the Batavian Republic in 1798.

Its initial scope included such diverse policy areas as education, commerce, public health and telegraphy.

From 2003 to 2010, future prime minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof was director-general for public order and safety at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.

[2] In 2010, security policy, including police and fire services, were transferred to the newly created Ministry of Security and Justice, while the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations regained public housing in return.