The arrondissement of Moulins was created in 1800.[4] At the January 2017 reorganization of the arrondissements of Allier, it lost three communes to the arrondissement of Vichy and gained one commune from the arrondissement of Vichy.[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 Moulins were, as of January 2015:[6]