The district has the status of a city, so is also known as St Albans City or St Albans City & District. It is administrated by the St Albans District Council, also known as St Albans City Council or St Albans City & District Council.
The district was created in 1974 from the combination of the Borough of St Albans, the Harpenden Urban District and the St Albans Rural District.
Nearby places outside the district include Hatfield to the east, Welwyn Garden City to the northeast, Luton and Dunstable to the northwest, Hemel Hempstead to the west, Watford to the southwest and Borehamwood to the south.