The Croatian National Bank, as stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, is the central bank of the Republic of Croatia. It is autonomous and independent, and reports on its work to the Croatian Parliament (Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, Article 53).

The status, tasks, capital ownership, powers and organisation of the central bank as well as its relationship with other bodies of the Republic of Croatia, banks and international institutions are regulated by the Act on the Croatian National Bank.

The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, adopted on 21 December 1990, determines the Croatian National Bank as the central bank of the Republic of Croatia and defines its responsibilities. A Regulation on the National Bank of Croatia of 8 October 1991 and a Decision on the Replacement of Yugoslav Dinars by Croatian Dinars stipulates in more detail central bank's responsibilities and functions. The Act on the National Bank of Croatia of 4 November 1992 replaces the quoted Regulation and sets out the legal framework for the operation of the central bank of the Republic of Croatia.

The Croatian dinar was a transitional, interim currency of the independent Croatian state, issued by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia. Introduced on 23 December 1991, the Croatian dinar became the sole legal tender in the Republic of Croatia on 1 January 1992. The interim currency was replaced by the kuna, the permanent official legal tender in the Republic of Croatia, introduced on 30 May 1994.

The Croatian National Bank was given its present name in the Constitutional Act on Revisions and Amendments of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia of 15 December 1997.

The Croatian National Bank Act, adopted on 5 April 2001, determines, among other things, the status, operations, ownership, powers and organisation of the Croatian central bank. It determines the primary objective of the CNB, which is to achieve and maintain price stability.

The Act on amendments to the Act on the CNB, adopted in December 2006, reaffirms the independence of the central bank and creates legal preconditions for the CNB to become, on the date of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union, a member of the European System of Central Bank (ESCB) and to start performing its tasks in accordance with the Statute of the ESCB and the European Central Bank (ECB).

Upon the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union, on 1 July 2013, the Croatian National Bank became part of the European System of Central Banks.

The Croatian National Bank is an integral part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and it is obliged, pursuant to EU regulations, to work on achieving the objectives and carrying out the tasks of the ESCB.

The CNB website presents the complete legislation and subordinate legislation on the actions of the central bank, financial institutions under its supervision and their financial services users as well as the instructions and forms for the application of the regulations in effect. The CNB website also features draft laws and subordinate legislation allowing the public to give its opinion during the legislation process.