The province of Utrecht is governed by the Provincial Council (*Provinciale Staten*), which acts as the elected parliament for the province. The daily administration is handled by the Provincial Executive (*Gedeputeerde Staten*), chaired by the King's Commissioner (*Commissaris van de Koning*), who is appointed by the national government.
The provincial government plays a crucial intermediate role between the national government and local municipalities. It is primarily responsible for regional spatial planning, public transportation, environmental management, cultural policy, and maintaining provincial roads. The province is divided into 26 distinct municipalities, the largest of which are Utrecht, Amersfoort, Veenendaal, and Zeist.