The Women's Professional Golf Association (WPGA) was formed as part of The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) in 1978, but in 1988 its members voted to separate and form an independent company, the Women Professional Golfers' European Tour Limited. This new company moved away from the PGA National Headquarters at The Belfry and set up its own Headquarters at The Tytherington Club in Cheshire.

In 1998 the Tour changed its name to European Ladies' Professional Golf Association Limited and again in July 2000 to its current name, Ladies European Tour Limited.

The Ladies European Tour is a company limited by guarantee, not having a share capital, and its objectives are to promote world-wide interest in the game of golf, to maintain high standards in the promotion, development and conduct of ladies' professional golf activities, to provide opportunities in tournament play and golf promotion for lady golf professionals, to co-operate with organisations engaged in golf promotion whose objectives are compatible with those of the Ladies European Tour and to protect and further the mutual interest of the Tour and its Members.

The Board of Directors are the guardians of the Tour and have responsibility for all financial matters, the review of long range planning, the direction of general policy matters and the guidance of the management of the Tour.

The Players' Council constitutes the principal means by which player opinion is expressed to the Board of Directors and represents all members collectively and individually.