The circuit opened on 19 June 2010, with an inaugural display featuring the MotoGP Inmotec. Its first national test session was held on 31 July of the same year. The venue was designed as a permanent road course in the southern Navarre region, filling a gap in northern Spain's motorsport infrastructure.
In its early years Circuito de Navarra attracted significant international competition. The Superleague Formula series raced there in 2010, as did the FIA GT1 World Championship, which ran at the venue between 2010 and 2012. The Blancpain Endurance Series visited in 2011 and 2012, alongside the FIA GT3 European Championship. The Auto GP series held a round in 2010, and the European Truck Racing Championship raced at Navarra in 2013 and 2014.
In May 2014 the circuit hosted the second weekend of Acceleration 2014, a festival format combining top-level car and bike racing with music and entertainment. The 24H Series held its 12 Hours of Navarra at the venue in 2018, with Navarra becoming the first of two Spanish rounds in that championship alongside Barcelona.
Cycling also used the circuit infrastructure: the venue served as the start of stage 16 at the 2017 Vuelta a España and stage 12 at the 2019 Vuelta a España.
In March 2021 it was announced that the circuit would host the Superbike World Championship on 20–22 August 2021, marking its first WorldSBK round. That round also included the Supersport World Championship.
In September 2022 it was announced that Motorsport Vision (MSV), the British circuit management group that owns Brands Hatch, Donington Park, and other venues, had won the bid to purchase Circuito de Navarra, with the transfer completed in November 2022. Under MSV ownership the circuit was resurfaced and a 2023 calendar programme was established while existing management was retained.
The circuit hosted an official British Superbike Championship test session in March 2023. The British Superbike Championship then included Navarra on its 2024 race calendar, as did the British Supersport Championship and the British Talent Cup.
In January 2024 a two-phase renovation was announced. The first phase, carried out between January and March, involved resurfacing and realigning Turn 6. The second phase, completed between July and September, extended the circuit's total length to 4.313 km.
The circuit now hosts a varied domestic and international programme. Regular events include the Spanish Superbike Championship, the Spanish Truck Championship, the Ultimate Cup Series, the TCR Spain Touring Car Championship, the F4 Spanish Championship, and the GR Cup Spain. The Ultimate Winter Cup takes place at the circuit in March each year.
As of 2025, the unofficial lap record at Circuito de Navarra was set by Joseph Loake in December 2024 during GB3 testing with a Tatuus MSV GB3-025, recording a time of 1:40.620.