The Security and Intelligence Agency of the Republic of Croatia (SOA) was founded in 2006 after the enactment of the Republic of Croatia Security and Intelligence System Act, and by combining the former Counterintelligence Agency (POA, 2002-2006) and Intelligence Agency (OA, 2002-2006) which both ceased functioning.

Its stated mission is to detect and prevent activities that threaten the integrity, independence, indivisibility and sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia, which are intended to violently disrupt the organization of state governance and threaten the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, legally stipulated human rights and fundamental freedoms and the underlying economic system of the Republic of Croatia.

The SOA operates in its headquarters in Zagreb, and in 10 regional centres (SOA. 2017 Public Report, p. 3).

The SOA is funded by the Central Budget of the Republic of Croatia. The SOA's budget is subject to public finance regulations in the Republic of Croatia. According to the Public Report for 2017, the Agency's budget in 2016 was HRK 315 million, while the budget in 2017 is HRK 327 million (SOA. 2017 Public Report, p. 30).

Most of the Agency’s staff are authorized officers, with a minor proportion of support staff. Three-quarters of SOA's employees hold advanced and higher degrees. Women make up approximately 40% of the workforce (SOA. 2017 Public Report, p. 32).