A process for preparing N,N-dihydrocarbylhydroxylamines of the general formula (I) where R1, R2, R3 and R4 are selected independently from among hydrogen, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heteroaromatic and aromatic radicals, or R1 and R2 and/or R3 and R4 are joined to form a ring, and not more than one radical among R1, R2, R3 and R4 is hydrogen, which comprises the steps a) reaction of hydroxylamine H2NOH or a salt of hydroxylamine with a compound of the general formula (II) or (III) where R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in formula (I), b) hydrogenation of the compound formed in step a) in the presence of a catalyst, c) further reaction of the compound formed in step b) with a compound of the general formula (II) or (III) and hydrogenation of the reaction mixture in the presence of a catalyst and d), if appropriate, reaction of the salt of the dihydrocarbylhydroxylamine formed in step c) with a base.