In 1800 the arrondissements of Rennes, Fougères, Montfort, Redon, Saint-Malo and Vitré were established. The arrondissements of Montfort and Vitré were disbanded in 1926.[5] In 2010 the arrondissement of Fougères was renamed Fougères-Vitré, and it absorbed the six cantons of Argentré-du-Plessis, Châteaubourg, La Guerche-de-Bretagne, Retiers, Vitré-Est and Vitré-Ouest from the arrondissement of Rennes.[6]
The borders of the arrondissements of Ille-et-Vilaine were modified in January 2017:[7]
four communes from the arrondissement of Fougères-Vitré to the arrondissement of Rennes
one commune from the arrondissement of Redon to the arrondissement of Rennes
five communes from the arrondissement of Rennes to the arrondissement of Fougères-Vitré
seven communes from the arrondissement of Rennes to the arrondissement of Saint-Malo