The arrondissement of Dole was created in 1800.[4] In May 2006 it gained the canton of Villers-Farlay from the arrondissement of Lons-le-Saunier, and it lost the canton of Chaumergy to the arrondissement of Lons-le-Saunier.[4] At the January 2017 reorganisation of the arrondissements of Jura, it gained 67 communes from the arrondissement of Lons-le-Saunier.[5]
As a result of the reorganisation of the cantons of France which came into effect in 2015, the borders of the cantons are no longer related to the borders of the arrondissements. The cantons of the arrondissement of Dole were, as of January 2015:[6]