[1] Its territory was greatly expanded during the 2020 Ukrainian administrative reforms.

Starobilsk Raion was established in spring 1923 as an administrative unit of the Ukrainian SSR.

On February 5, 1965, in accordance with a decree of the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR that tweaked administration across the republic, Brusivka rural council [uk] was transferred from Starobilsk Raion to Bilovodsk Raion, slightly shrinking the former's territory.

[2] The January 2020 estimate of the raion's population was 42,693 (2020 est.).

[3] On 18 July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, the number of raions of Luhansk Oblast was reduced to eight, of which only four were controlled by the government, and the area of Starobilsk Raion was significantly expanded.