The LRA was established through an Act of the National Legislature in 2013 and began operations on July 1, 2014 as a semi-autonomous agency of Government.

The core mandate of the LRA is to administer and enforce Liberia's Revenue Code of 2000 as amended in 2011, and other related laws under which it is assigned responsibility, for the purpose of assessing, collecting, auditing and accounting for all national revenues and for facilitating legitimate international trade through border management and enforcement.