The arrondissement of Lure was created in 1800.[4] In January 2017 it gained five communes from the arrondissement of Vesoul, and it lost three communes to the arrondissement of Vesoul.[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 Lure were, as of January 2015:[6]