COTA was established in 1971 at a meeting of the Heads of Regional Tax Administration convened in Saint Lucia when its Constitution was ratified. The Constitution was subsequently approved in October 1972 by the Standing Committee of Ministers of Finance in Trinidad & Tobago. The year 2002 therefore marks the thirty-second anniversary of the establishment of COTA.

The COTA Newsletter Issue No. 1 commenced in 1985; the COTA Newsletter was introduced to replace the COTA Quarterly Journal.

Resolution passed in The General Assembly and approved by Ministers of Finance 1983, the Constitution was amended to provide for Assemblies to be convened biennially and to increase the membership of the Executive Council from a President and three members to a President and four members.

Functions of COTA
COTA works to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of tax administrations in the Caribbean through technical cooperation, professional development, and institutional strengthening. Its core functions include facilitating training, technical assistance, research, regional dialogue, and the exchange of best practices among tax officials. It also supports collaboration with regional and international partners on issues such as tax reform, compliance, administration, and emerging international tax standards. Conferences, seminars, workshops, and technical meetings form an important part of its work programme