Lancashire County Council was established in 1889 under the Local Government Act of 1888 as the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire.

Prior to the formal establishment of the county counsil, the historic County of Lancashire had been a governing body dating back to 1675.

Under the 1972 Local Government Act, the county council was reconstituted, with some areas leaving to form the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. Further local government reorganisation in the 1990s saw the creation of unitary authorities, with regions including Blackpool and Blackburn-with-Darwen leaving the county council.