(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French Suzerainty | ||
| French Protectorate of Porto-Novo Protectorate placed over the Porto-Novo (Hogbonu) Kingdom | ||
| 25 February 1863 to 2 January 1865 | Marius Daumas, Agent | |
| Porto-Novo Kingdom | ||
| 2 January 1865 to 14 April 1882 | none | |
| French Protectorate of Porto-Novo | Restored | |
| 14 April 1882 to June 1882 | ||
| June 1882 to 1883 | Bonaventure Colonna de Lecca, Resident | |
| 1883 to 1883 | Henri Guilman, Resident | |
| 1883 to 1884 | Daniel Germa, Resident | |
| 1884 to July 1884 | Léopold Maignot, Resident | |
| Ju1y 1884 to 1886 | Charles Disnematin-Dorat, Resident | |
| 1886 to 1886 | Émmanuel Roget, Resident | |
| 1886 to 1887 | Jean-Mari Bayol, Resident | |
| 1887 to 16 June 1887 | Gentian-Antonin-Maire Péréton, Resident | |
| 16 June 1887 to 11 July 1888 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Resident | 1st Term |
| 11 July 1888 to 1889 | Paul-Alphonse-Frédéric-Mari de Beeckmann, Administrator | |
| 1889 to 19 October 1889 | Louis-Frédéric-Émil Tautain, Resident | |
| 19 October 1889 to 22 December 1891 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Resident | 2nd term |
| 22 December 1891 to 22 June 1893 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Lieutenant Governor | |
| Porto-Novo Colony | ||
| 22 June 1893 to 20 January 1894 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Lieutenant Governor | |
| Dahomey Colony | ||
| 20 January 1894 to 22 June 1894 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 22 June 1894 to 3 July 1899 | Victor-Marie-Paul Ballot, Governor | |
| 3 July 1899 to 8 October 1899 | Jean-Baptiste Fonssagrives, acting Governor | |
| 8 October 1899 to 26 November 1900 | Pierre-Hubert-Auguste Pascal, acting Governor | |
| 26 November 1900 to 5 May 1906 | Victor-Théophile Liotard, Governor | |
| 5 May 1906 to 9 June 1906 | Joseph-Étienne-Gabriel Lhuerre, acting Governor | |
| 9 June 1906 to 16 July 1906 | Charles-Emmanuel-Joseph Marchal, acting Governor | |
| 16 July 1906 to 8 March 1908 | Charles-Emmanuel-Joseph Marchal, Governor | |
| 8 March 1908 to 22 September 1908 | Marie-Antoine Gaudart, acting Governor | |
| 22 September 1908 to 9 October 1908 | Charles-Désiré-Auguste Brunet, acting Governor | |
| 9 October 1908 to 25 April 1909 | Jean-Jules-Émile Peuvergne, Governor | |
| 25 April 1909 to 6 March 1911 | Henri-Jules-Jean-Baptiste Malan, Governor | |
| 6 March 1911 to 24 June 1911 | Raphaël-Velentin-Marius Antonetti, Governor | |
| Dahomey Colony and Dependencies | ||
| 24 June 1911 to 9 May 1912 | Émile Merwart, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 9 May 1912 to 11 July 1912 | Charles-Henri-Adrien Noufflard, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 11 July 1912 to 7 April 1917 | Charles-Henri-Adrien Noufflard, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 7 April 1917 to July 1919 | Gaston-Léon-Joseph Fourn, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| July 1919 to 29 August 1928 | Gaston-Léon-Joseph Fourn, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 29 August 1928 to 4 April 1929 | Lucien-Eugène Geay, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 4 April 1929 to 8 February 1931 | Dieudonné-François-Joseph-Marie Reste, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 8 February 1931 to 7 January 1932 | Théophile-Antione-Pascal Tellier, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 7 January 1932 to 2 August 1932 | Louis-Placide Blacher, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 2 August 1932 to 22 July 1933 | Louis Aujas, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 22 July 1933 to 24 August 1934 | Marcel de Coppet, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 24 August 1934 to 15 February 1935 | Jean Desanti, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 15 February 1935 to 12 January 1937 | Maurice-Léon Bourgine, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 12 January 1937 to 7 August 1937 | Henri-Étienne Martinet, acting Lieutenant-Governor | 1st Term |
| 7 August 1937 to 7 April 1938 | Ernest Gayon, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 7 April 1938 to 1 June 1938 | Henri-Étienne Martinet, acting Lieutenant-Governor | 2nd Term |
| 1 June 1938 to 27 August 1940 | Armand Léon Annet, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 27 August 1940 to 18 September 1940 | Pierre-Jean-André Paliceti, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 18 September 1940 to 26 August 1943 | Léon-Hippolyte Truitard, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 26 August 1943 to 21 May 1946 | Charles-André-Maurice-Assier de Pompignan, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| Dahomey Overseas Territory | ||
| 21 May 1946 to 14 January 1948 | Robert Legendre, acting Governor | |
| 14 January 1948 to 13 January 1949 | Jean-Georges Chambon, Governor | |
| 13 January 1949 to 19 September 1949 | Jacques-Alphonse Boissier, Governor | |
| 19 September 1949 to November 1951 | Claude Valluy, acting Governor | |
| November 1951 to 21 June 1955 | Charles-Henri Bonfils, Governor | |
| 21 June 1955 to 21 March 1958 | Marc-Casimir Biros, Governor | In some sources Casimir-Marc Biros |
| 21 March 1958 to 15 July 1958 | Bernard Hepp, acting Governor | |
| 15 July 1958 to 4 December 1958 | René Tirant, acting Governor | |
| Republic of Dahomey | Autonomous | |
| 4 December 1958 to 1 August 1960 | René Tirant, High Commissioner | |
| 1 August 1960 | Independence as Republic of Dahomey | |
For continuation after independence, see: Heads of State of Benin