The commandery was created during Emperor Gaozu of Han's reign, with its seat at Ye.
In late Western Han, it administered 18 counties, namely Ye (鄴), Guantao (館陶), Chiqiu (斥丘), Sha (沙), Neihuang (內黃), Qingyuan (清淵), Wei (魏), Fanyang (繁陽), Yuancheng (元城), Liangqi (梁期), Liyang (黎陽), Jipei (即裴), Wushi (武始), Hanhui (邯會), Yin'an (陰安), Ping'en (平恩), Hangou (邯溝) and Wu'an (武安).
[3] After the establishment of the Cao Wei dynasty, these areas became new commanderies Yangping (陽平) and Guangping (廣平), respectively.
13 counties were recorded in the Book of Wei, namely Ye (鄴), Linzhang (臨漳), Fanyang (繁陽), Lieren (列人), Changle (昌樂), Wu'an (武安), Linshui (臨水), Wei (魏), Pingyi (平邑), Yiyang (易陽), Yuancheng (元城), Chizhang (斥章) and Guixiang (貴鄉), with a total population of 438,024, or 122,613 households.
In Sui and Tang dynasties, Wei Commandery became an alternative name of Xiang Prefecture (相州, centered around modern-day Anyang) until 742.