Administration of Nagapattinam district includes the district collector as the supreme authority. He controls the revenue unit and panchayat development units of the district administration through his personal assistants, general and panchayat development at his head quarters. District supply officer, manages the public distribution system in co-ordination with the joint registrar of co-operatives, while the special deputy collector for public grievance redressed cell attends to the grievances submitted to the collector. The collector of the district of Nagapattinam is having two district level officers, one for the welfare of the Adi Dravidar and another for the Backward Classes and Minorities. This district has two revenue divisions, seven taluks, four municipalities, eleven panchayat unions, eight town Panchayats and four hundred and thirty four panchayats.

The Public health system and the maintenance of Government Hospitals in this district are supervised by the district collector through the joint director of public health, Nagapattinam. The Deputy Director of Public Health, Nagapattinam maintains the rural health system and Primary Health Centers available at the villages under the supervision of the District Collector. The District Collector monitors the agricultural and animal husbandry activities in this district through the Joint Director of agriculture and Assistant Director of animal husbandry respectively at the Nagapattinam district in the Tamil Nadu state.

The Assistant Director of Fisheries is responsible for the inland and marine fishing activities in the district of Nagapattinam. The District Collector also commands the works of the Chief Educational Officer, District Educational Officer and District Elementary Educational Officer who manage the Educational Institutions up to the higher secondary level. The collector of this district executes the works relating to irrigation through the Public Works Department authorities and road management through the Divisional Engineer, Highways Nagapattinam. The District Collector also monitors the welfare actions of the Banking units in the district. The district collector also grants various licenses in the capacity of the District Magistrate.

The District Revenue Officer of Nagapattinam assists the District Collector in all his responsibilities. He is the authority for the matters related to land in the district. Revenue collection in this district is regulated by the District Revenue Officer. The District Revenue Officer also grants various licenses, in the capacity of Additional District Magistrate.

The Superintendent of Police in the district of Nagapattinam is responsible for maintaining Law and Order and also exercises the prohibition in the district. The Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency Nagapattinam, implements the various schemes of the Government for the rural welfare in the district. The District Collector has authorized the Project Officer to extend the basic needs including drinking water, street lighting, and rural housing scheme to the people.