Administration of Chennai district spreads over an area of 178.20 square kilometers. The city of Chennai is one of the oldest cities in the state of Tamil Nadu and also in India. India. The district of Chennai encompasses the entire Chennai Corporation including nineteen villages added to it in the year 1979 from out of the Chengalpattu District.

Chennai District Administration in Tamil Nadu state is headed by the Collector with the team of officers including District Revenue Officer, Deputy Commissioner (Excise) in the cadre of District Revenue Officer, District Revenue Officer ( Stamps), Personal Assistant (General) to the Collector of Chennai, Additional Personal Assistant to the Collector of Chennai, Personal Assistant (ULT) to the Collector of Chennai, Personal Assistant (Accounts) to the Collector of Chennai, Special Deputy Collector (Social Security Schemes), Special Deputy Collector (Colour TV Schemes), Special Deputy Collector (Relief and Rehabilitation), District Inspection Cell Officer, Manager TAHDCO in the cadre of Deputy Collector, District Adi Dravida and Tribal Welfare Officer, District Backward Classes & Minorities Welfare Officer and Personal Assistant (Survey) to the Collector of Chennai.

The Collector is the District Magistrate. District Revenue Officer has been designated as Additional District Magistrate. This District consists of five Taluks. There are no Revenue divisions. Therefore the Deputy Collectors have been designated as Sub Divisional Magistrate for the jurisdiction like Personal Assistant ULT) to the Collector is in charge of Fort-Tondiarpet Taluk, Personal Assistant(General) to the Collector is in charge of Mylapore -Triplicane taluk, Special Deputy Collector (PGRC) is in charge of Perambur-Purasawalkam Taluk, Additional Personal Assistant to the Collector is in charge of Mambalam-Guindy Taluk and District Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Officer is in charge of Egmore-Nungambakkam Taluk.

The Commissioner of Police, however, deals with the maintenance of law and order, the Cinematograph Act, and Explosives Act in the district. The Civil Supplies and essential commodities Act is dealt with by the respective Assistant Commissioners (Civil Supplies). They are under the control by the Commissioner of Civil Supplies. Therefore the Collector of Chennai District has no role in this aspect. Since the Commissioner Corporation of the district of Chennai carries out the developmental activities of Chennai district, the Collector has no role in developmental activities as is being done in other districts. However, subjects like accommodation control, TAHDCO (Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation) are attached to the Collector.