During 1991, after the fall of the SFRY, the Republic of Croatia realized its state-legal independence and autonomy. The Holy See acknowledged Croatia as one of the first countries on 13 January 1992. After that, the Croatian Bishops made a proposal for the establishment of the Croatian Bishops' Conference. The Holy See, by the decree of 15 May 15 1993, established the Catholic Episcopate of the Republic of Croatia - the Croatian Bishops’ Conference (HBK), approving its statute. The Statute of HBK was renewed on 5 February 2000.

The Croatian Episcopal Conference is made up of 17 (over) dioceses, which form four metropolises: Zagreb, Splitsko-Makarska, Đakovo- and Rijeka, and one independent archdiocese: Zadar and Military Bishopric.