The arrondissement of Pontarlier was created in 1800.[4] It was expanded in 2009 with the two cantons of Pierrefontaine-les-Varans and Vercel-Villedieu-le-Camp from the arrondissement of Besançon,[5] and the canton of Le Russey from the arrondissement of Montbéliard.[4][6]
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 Pontarlier were, as of January 2015:[7]