In 1953, the year the Port was dedicated, a Special Act of the Florida state legislature created the independent governmental agency that operates the Port – the Canaveral Port Authority.

The Legislature established the Canaveral Port District in the central and north areas of Brevard County and divided it into five regions. Five elected officials representing the five regions form the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners, which sets fiscal, regulatory and operational policies for the Port. Commissioners are elected at-large and serve four-year terms. Voting takes place every two years, with no more than three commission seats up for election at a time. Commissioners receive a small salary.

The Board of Commissioners holds regularly scheduled meetings on the third Wednesday of each month unless otherwise posted. Meetings are held in the Port Authority Commission Room at Port Canaveral and are open to the public. Meeting agendas are posted on this web site prior to the event.

While the Commissioners set policy, the Port's Chief Executive Officer and staff are responsible for administrative and operational duties.

As a governmental body, the Canaveral Port Authority can incur indebtedness through the sale of bonds; establish Federal Maritime Commission-regulated tariff rates; and negotiate for government grants. The Canaveral Port Authority also can levy ad valorem taxes from property owners in the Canaveral Port District. In 1986, the Board of Commissioners recognized that the Port had become self-sufficient and unanimously voted to stop collecting the annual revenue from ad valorem taxes. The Port has remained self-sufficient since that time, relying primarily on revenues from the successful businesses it has worked to develop: cruises, cargo, land leases and park operations.