The Tarnów Branch of the State Archive in Cracow was created in 1950 as a branch of the Provincial State Archive in Cracow. From 1952 it functioned as the County State Archive in Tarnów (1952-1975), until 1957 subordinate to the Provincial Archive in Cracow and then to the State Archive of the City and Province of Cracow. After the state administration reform of 1975 the Tarnów Branch of the Provincial State Archive in Cracow was created (1976-1983). After the implementation of the Act of 14 July 1983 on the national archival collection and archives the outpost in Tarnów became a branch of the State Archive in Cracow.