UPPC is a public enterprise that is fully owned by Government. It was established in 1992 by the UPPC Act, Cap 215 . Section 2(2) of the UPPC Act provides that the Corporation shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue or be sued in its corporate name.

The Corporation started out as the Government Printer under the British Colonial Government in 1902. In 1962 the Department remained under Office of the President. During that time, it was funded using public funds allocated under the Government Printer Vote and its role was to supply stationery and provide printing and publishing facilities to all Government Ministries and Departments.

Due to the important role played by the Corporation in the printing of all Bills, Statutes and Official Gazette, Cabinet classified it under Class I among those public bodies that Government has to retain full ownership of.