Anhydrous hydrazine and hydrocarbyl-substituted hydrazines are efficiently prepared according to a three-step procedure, comprising a first step wherein ammonia, a primary or secondary amine, an alkali metal amide, an alkaline earth metal amide, a hydrocarbyl-substituted alkali metal amide or a hydrocarbyl-substituted alkaline earth metal amide is reacted with a chlorinating agent to produce the corresponding chloramine without co-production of an amine hydrochloride salt; a second step wherein the chloramine is reacted with a tertiary amine to produce a tertiary hydrazinium chloride; and a final step wherein the tertiary hydrazinium chloride is reacted with an alkali metal amide or an alkaline earth metal amide under anhydrous conditions to produce the desired product.