A Secretariat, located in Geneva, Switzerland, administers the treaty.

Permanent committees (Standing, Animals, and Plants) provide technical and scientific support to member countries (called Parties). Each Party designates Management and Scientific Authorities to process permits, make legal and scientific findings, and monitor trade.

CITES Parties meet regularly as a group to formally amend the CITES Appendices and to make decisions on administrative and implementation issues regarding the treaty. Until CoP13, these meeting were held every two years; since then, CoPs are held every three years.

Non-governmental organizations, representing conservation, animal welfare, trade, zoological, botanical, and scientific interests, participate as non-voting observers at COPs and Animals and Plants Committee meetings.

Species for which trade is controlled are listed in one of three Appendices to CITES, based on a vote of the Parties. The 175 Parties to CITES are divided into six regions: Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America and Oceania. Several regular international meetings are convened to execute this treaty.