The Directorate of Land Records and Survey was established in the year 1973 with its Headquarter at Kohima, and then it was shifted to Dimapur during August 1975. In Nagaland, land belongs to the people and its Administration is by Traditional system and Customary Law of each Tribes. The department is the Nodal Department for all land survey and maintenance of the land records. The department through the district offices also assists the District Administration in survey and land settlement issues. The Department activities are restricted to Administration and maintenance of Land Records of Government Lands such as Towns, Administrative Headquarter and Government Pocket Land. Land Records System exists in and around Dimapur Mouza, Towns Administrative Headquarter and Govt. acquired lands only. In the initial stage the activities of the Department was mostly in and around Dimapur only. Now, with awareness, all Administrative Headquarters and other Government Lands are being Surveyed and District Offices in all the Districts are headed by Land Records & Survey Officers with the field staff.

The department undertakes the following activities in all the Districts:

• Traverse Survey.
• Detailed Cadastral Survey of Administrative HQs.
• Survey of Government and private individual pocket lands.
• Survey for new village recognition.
• Survey for Government land acquisition.
• Survey of any new Government or private project location.
• Render technical assistance to district administration in land settlement and revenue administration.
• State Mapping Agency.