The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Meieribyen.

Skiptvet was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Skiptvet farm (Old Norse: Skipþveit and/or Skygþveit) because the first church was built here.

The arms show a silver dragon on a red background.

A tarn near the church is still called Dragehullet meaning "the dragon's pit".