 Under the Local Government Act 1894 the local board became an urban district, which by 1902 had changed its name to Portmadoc.In 1934 part of the area was transferred to Dolbenmaen, and a smaller area was taken in from Treflys, which had been abolished.Porthmadog Urban District was abolished in 1974, and the town became part of "Dwyfor District" in the new county of Gwynedd, though it retained limited powers as a community.